


Boundaries

by CappuCafe



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:28:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23368462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CappuCafe/pseuds/CappuCafe
Summary: "Look! A gorilla performing domestic violence-" The bystander was cut off as the tiny 'gorilla' ripped out one of the massive concrete tiles on the floor and flung it towards him, sending him crashing into the walls. She scratched her head nonchalantly while walking away and tried to brush off what happened. "Did ya hear something? I think my old age is affecting my hearing." Kurapika stared at her with an unamused, but unsurprised face, as he replied: "You're 15." A comedy based fanfic featuring Valeria Lavine, a member of the world's physically strongest clan.
Relationships: Kurapika (Hunter X Hunter)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 39





	1. She Who is a Gorilla

Life wasn’t easy for a small teenage girl who just got thrown onto the boat after she climbed back up a mountain. Her father had this tendency to throw his daughter into life threatening situations as an attempt to train the girl into not a gorilla, but a human weaponized cyborg gorilla. No mercy and pity for the weak and if you die, well that’s rather unfortunate. As he hauled the exhausted girl onto the boat with the objects she reluctantly packed, he hollered after her in a threatening tone:“Pass the Hunter Exam!” Valeria angrily tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she flipped her middle finger at her father. “Yeh yeh you crazy old man! Watch me pass the hunter exam and never come back!” At this, her father attempted to jump onto the sailboat and strangle her but her mother pulled the man back. Her mother shot her a disapproving look and Valeria responded with another middle finger with her other hand. Well, that was a while ago. Now, she lost all of her energy as the boat rocked violently and causing her to feel extremely queasy. Anymore and her face is going to turn into a paler version of her teal eyes. 

“...Are you even listening?” A middle aged man pointed at her accusingly. In Valeria’s lap was a bottle of pills, meant to cure motion sickness. The girl went through the trouble to peel the packaging label off because anything that reminded her of hometown including packaging labels with her language on it, added on to the nausea she was having. Unlabelled, it must have looked like she was a drug addict. “Girls this young shouldn’t be so addicted to drugs! I don’t even recognize those pills...you might get an overdose!”

“It’s fine, old man. If you’re one with nature, you know what you’re doing.” Valeria slurred, trying to express that her country is known for herbal medications and everyone has somewhat of medicinal knowledge unless of course you were a sheltered child,Valeria had meant for that phrase to represent her country’s knowledge of medicinal herbs but the old man had taken it differently. Valeria was now a crazy drug addict who wants to return to the earth. And never wake up.

“It’s Leorio-san! And you’re crazy, you still have a healthy life ahead of you and imagine all of those who are dying for a chance to live! Don’t waste your life.” 

"Thanks for your worry, Leonardo diCaprio,but I am aware."

"My name is Leorio! You know, when someone forgets another person's name, it's because it's too long or complicated. But your mistake seems far more complicated than my name actually is." Leorio shouted but the brown haired girl just brushed off his complaint.

"Yes yes, Luigi...forgive me, but don't get too upset. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone messes up at least one or two people's name. It's not a big deal."She tucked her medications into her white tie-string bag and slung it over her shoulder. She noticed a blonde haired boy who was staring at them before continuing to read. "People confuse my name too, you know? They think my name is Gorilla Girl or Dead Fish. It's a common thing."She jumped down from her hammock and walked over to a vomiting man.

"No...I don't think they mistook your name. It's obvious that they are making fun of you."

"What are you talking about? It's obviously a mistake...they haven't called me that since I broke a limb or two by accident." The strange girl patted a vomiting man's back. What seemed like a light, comforting pat, sent the man flying through the wall. "Tch...men these days are so weak."

"Hey...isn't this girl dangerous?" Leorio watched the girl adjust her white cardigan, which was over a light teal halter top. Stretching out her back and cracking her knuckles, the brown haired girl single handedly pulled the buff man out of the wall, sending him flying back. The blonde boy on the hammock snorted in response and Leorio looked up with horrified eyes. Before Leorio could say anything, the door to the room swung open and the captain came in. Behind him was a boy who was carrying bottles of water and he began to distribute them to all of the men who were sick from the violent waves of the sea. The captain smirked in approval before signalling Valeria, Leorio, the boy, and the blonde to follow him. “You four follow me.” He then left and the boy immediately followed him

“You think he’s going to ambush us?” Leorio asked, only to receive very discouraging reactions from the others. Kurapika had rolled his eyes and Valeria merely shrugged before the pair walked out. Leorio grumped and also followed, not too far behind.They all stepped into a room, where a large concave glass window showed the deck and wide ocean. The captain rested his right hand on the steering wheel while the other gave himself a nice smoke or two. Blowing out puffs of what Valeria calls “dirty air”, he pulled his tobacco away from him and began to eye each one of them.

"So, what are your names?" The captain pointed at Valeria, beckoning for the girl to start first. Valeria responded instantly lied with a straight face, cracked the others up, and earned a disapproving sigh from the captain. 

“First name Hot, last name Bitch.” Valeria examined her nails but when she heard no response, she tilted her head up to see the unamused look she received. Rolling her eyes she properly introduced herself this time. “Valeria.”

"Kurapika." The blond boy next to her followed the gesture to introduce himself. He was a bishounen, a type of character that she never would have thought to encounter. Except for her manhwa. The boy noticed her staring and turned to look at her quizzically before Valeria turned away.

"Gon Freecs!" The youngest boy answered eagerly. He looked like he was twelve and there was a sense of innocence and purity that it slightly blinded Valeria’s eyes and gave her a wave of the feeling of overprotectiveness. 

"Leorio." Leorio stuck his hands into his pocket and sighed. He was obviously reluctant to provide any information to the captain. This was especially true as the man suspiciously pulled them to the side to interrogate them.

"Why did you all choose to be a hunter?" The captain asked, nodding his head at their answers. He glanced at Leorio, expecting the man to begin first but all Leorio did was scoff. "As if we're going to tell you." 

Contrary to what Leorio’s response was to the captain, Gon eagerly answered. He seemed genuinely excited and a normal person would think that this poor, innocent boy has no idea what the exam will be like. "I'm looking for my dad! I want to know why he abandoned his son to become a hunter!" 

"Don't just answer like that!" Immediately, Leorio jumped into the conversation and began to scold Gon. Gon merely scratched his chin and tilted his head in confusion. He squinted his eye momentarily while he thought about what Leorio said before his eyes sparkled in confusion and naivety. "Why?"

"Why?!” Leorio sputtered, as if this was a bizarre question. “Just because! There's no point in giving away information to strangers!"

"I agree with Leorio. I don't think it's right for me to answer personal questions to those who I do not trust." Kurapika added. Leorio silently muttered that it was ‘Leorio-san’ before he silenced himself. 

"I was kicked out of the house." Valeria replied when she saw that the Captain had rolled his eyes at the two boys before looking at her. He blinked before his brain took in the information. The group stared at her as they squinted, imagining the situation. A DELINQUENT?! Is that what she was? Is she a simple gorilla in her rebellious phase and is actually running away from home? The old man coughed as he placed his arms behind his back. 

“The Hunter exam isn’t a place for runaways-”

Valeria cut him off with a simple “I know.” He stared at the girl, who dug into the pocket of her white shorts and pulled out a piece of gum, with doubt before sighing and moving on. Valeria opened the silver wrapper and took out the gum, chewing it. As for the wrapper, she put it in the small ashtray near the control wheel.

"Is that so? Then the two of you," The old man pointed at Leorio and Kurapika. "Must get off this ship immediately."

"What?!"

"Don't you get it? The hunter qualification has already begun."

The group of teens looked at each other in mild surprise before clearing their throat and silently listened to the pitter patter of the rain. The captain scoffed at their sudden meekness and grunted:"...So answer the damn question." 

The two boys hesitated and Kurapika spoke. "I'm a survivor of the Kurta tribe. There's a group of bandits who massacred my tribe four years ago. I want to become a hunter to capture the Phantom Troupe."

"A blacklist hunter applicant, eh? The Phantom Troupe are A-class bounties that even veteran hunters would have difficulties. You will most likely die."

"I don't fear death, I only worry that my rage would dissipate." Kurapika's eyes glistened. Valeria only chewed while listening. Or at least one would think she is. Valeria was thinking about the flavour of her gum. She furrowed her eyebrows and winced. Sour...unknown flavour.

Leorio began to speak about wanting money and luxuries. Kurapika retorted something back and there was a heavy atmosphere around them. The two walked outside, planning a heated battle while the captain was trying to call them back.

"Let them be sir.'To know someone is to know what angers him.' It's one of my favourite sayings that Aunt Mito taught me." Gon sat down.

“Why don’t they just openly convey their feelings. What a bunch of troublesome, pubescent boys.” Valeria tilted her head, showing her obvious confusion with the boys’ actions. Valeria grew up in a straightforward environment and has not be in the presence of “delicacy” and “sensitivity.” If someone didn’t like someone, they fight to kill. If someone was in love, they would give mating callings and offer their fullest attentions. “By the way, where’s the trash can?”

The captain sighed and pointed to a room. "Go that way." Valeria nodded and then looked at Gon with a smile, before entering the room with her bored expression that said she was done with everything. Gon's eyes followed the careless girl and returned his attention to the old man.

"She's an odd but nice miss." Gon commented.

"Really? She seems like a runaway gorilla to me." The captain scratched his beard. A man suddenly ran in, shouting: "Captain! The storm is approaching faster than we expected!" The captain and Gon left, heading for the deck while Valeria got rid of her gum. The girl didn’t seem bothered at all when she slid across the room due to the tilting of the ship. She adjusted her shorts and halter top before heading out. She just happened to see Gon leap out to save a man overboard and Leorio and Kurapika catch him. However, Valeria noticed the unstable, wooden railing and ruffled her hair in frustration. She was supposed to be on a vacation- training...and now she has to save a group of idiots?

"Aw curses!" The girl tossed her white cardigan aside, onto a man. "Please hold onto it!" Her teal flats tapped as she ran towards the boys. When Valeria was at the edge of the railing, she lightly tapped the wooden planks underneath her, causing her right heel to sink into it. Valeria quickly grabbed the end of a rope and tied it around her waist. It was connected to the main support beam, making it secure for her. She grabbed hold of Leorio's and Kurapika's hands just after the railing broke.

The crew members attempted to pull her back but the ship rocked violently, not allowing them to do so.

"Stay back!' She ordered the crew members. Almost immediately they stiffened and nodded as they continued to help with the sails. Valeria inhaled sharply as felt drops of rain run down her cheeks and onto her lips. Licking the drop, she crouched and her muscles tensed.

"What are you doing? You'll get pulled down! That rope isn't enough to carry all of our weight!" Kurapika shouted at Valeria. He glanced at the rope that was hugging main support pole of the ship and then stared at the petite, “weak” girl.

"Who said it was carrying your weight?" Valeria looked down at the blonde boy, before rolling her eyes. She then shouted an issue to the males who were hanging literally hanging onto their life, or should I say, Valeria. "Everyone brace themselves for an impact, because whatever happens after, ain't my fault."

Valeria easily pulled everyone back and tossed them onto the other side of ship, to safety. It was as if it was a little grade schooler plucking out a flower and feeling oddly triumphant.

"?!" Everyone seemed to have a stunned expression as the petite girl tossed four males, three who are larger than her, with such ease and showed no signs of effort.

Valeria pulled herself towards the support beam by pulling the rope tied around her waist. Her face seem to sag even further and her eyes seemed tired of life in general, the moment the rope snapped because she pulled on it too hard.

"Curse Papa and his stupid tug of war games." Valeria grumbled before stumbling back. She fell back but this time, Kurapika and Gon reached out for her hands and pulled her back. 

Valeria combed back her messy hair and took her white cardigan back from a crew member, who was awestruck. “Thanks.” She bowed slightly with an odd pose with her hands. No one quite recognized it and Valeria rushingly changed it as she realized she was bringing out an old habit. But Kurapika recognized the gesture as a symbol of greeting, thanks, and politeness before a brutal bloodbath among the Che’ang Clan. 

Also known as the Lavine Clan.


	2. I'm a Lavine

The boat docked and the first to excitedly greet the land was Gon. The port was lively and had a warm atmosphere. People were bustling around with mainly those who were trying to take the Hunter Exam. Buses lined up on the side, near the port and there was a large sign above it saying, “To the Hunter Exam.”. Valeria stepped off the boat after Gon with a bored face that questioned why she was even here. 

“Can’t believe I’m here. And not in a good way.” She muttered to herself while scratching her head in annoyance. Kurapika, who was next to her, overheard Valeria’s lament.

“Um, Valeria? I was wondering this since I first heard your name...but are you perhaps part of the Lavine clan? Or Longhu, in your language.” He asked. He carefully watched her reaction, as if calculating what to say next.

“Lavendar what clan? I ain’t heard of them before.” Leorio slung his bag over his shoulder. He looked around the city and added: “There sure are tons of people. You don’t think that if we go onto the bus too late, they’ll kick us out?” The man looked very anxious as he kept glancing at the bus station and his watch. Valeria simply rolled her eyes as she answered both males’ questions.

“Don’t you think there’s another way to get the exam site? I mean we thought we scored a stress-free ferry ride but guess not. It was simply a test. And yes, unfortunately, I’m part of that clan.”

“...I think you should be at least grateful that your clan is alive.” Kurapika commented. His eyes glowed red, without the notice of Valeria. Just speaking about his clan and hearing Valeria’s disrespect towards her own unnerved the boy. Valeria stared at him briefly before replying.

“I think we’re better off dead. Besides, the majority of us die by the age of mid thirties to forties. ” Valeria tilted her head, thinking hard about it. The only exception she could think of was the previous clan leader- a power hungry old man. She shook her head and before Kurapika could ask what she meant, they saw a stranger knock over an old lady while calling her a turtle. Valeria walked up to the man and with a light flick to the head, the man fell down with his consciousness gone. She then outstretched her left arm to help the old lady who bowed in gratitude.

“...Well...I guess everyone has their own circumstances.” Kurapika didn’t like how the girl regarded her own clan and how she was ungrateful for what she already had. But from what he just saw, she wasn’t necessarily a bad person and as limited the information of the Lavine Clan gets, he knows that they all had monstrous strength. Perhaps, it wasn’t his place to judge someone who he barely knows.

“I’m glad we came to an understanding,” Valeria replied with a lazy grin. The two seem to immediately make up and are acting like the best of friends. Leorio watched the two wander off, after Gon, breaking out into a cold sweat. Did they just ignore the fact that the Gorilla girl made cracks in the concrete floor just by flicking the forehead of a man down onto the ground?  
Leorio shook his head and went after them, looking at the map. He tilted his head in confusion. “Hm? The mountain is in the opposite direction? Shouldn’t we take the bus? Gon, you should be more suspicious of others.”

“I’m still going. There must have been a reason.” Gon left them behind with a determined look on his face. He had already decided that the captain who guided them here would not benefit from lying to him and he was willing to take the risk to go on an adventure.

“I’m against pollution and my middle name is ‘Nature Wild’. I prefer the mountains rather than taking the bus. I’m going to follow Gon and see where this will take us.” Valeria adjusted the strap of her bag before she turned away from Leorio and Kurapika.

“Seriously?” Leorio and Kurapika stared at her.

Valeria turned back with a mocking smirk, without losing her lazy glint in her eyes. “I remember someone saying ‘you should be more suspicious of others.’ Looks like Gon isn’t the only one. Of course my middle name isn’t ‘Nature Wild’.” Valeria mimicked before turning around. 

“WHY YOU-Hey, Kurapika!” Leorio’s face turned bright red from embarrassment and anger. He then blinked in confusion as the blonde next to him laughed, then quickened his pace to walk next to the other two. 

“It’s not the captain’s advice that is making me follow them, I’m more interested in what Gon does and Valeria’s line of thinking. I think that the captain’s advice wouldn’t go to vain and it would be a beneficial experience to interact with these two. I’m going to tag along with them.” Kurapika commented before turning back.

“Do you think Leorio-san will be okay?” Gon looked up at the two older people who had caught up to him. He glanced back at the retreating man with a look of worry covering his face. Valeria rolled her eyes and shrugged carelessly. “He’ll probably be back in a few seconds. I have someone in my village who’s just like him.” 

Kurapika laughed. “Is that why you are constantly making fun of him?” 

“Of course not. Admit it, you two enjoy messing around with him...he’s just that easy of a victim.” Valeria yawned. “Besides, I’m pretty sure the captain has a reason for pointing us here. Leorio just has trust issues.” As soon as she said this, there was the sound of feet approaching along with a man’s voice screaming. The group, except for Kurapika, didn’t bother looking back. “In fact I hear him yelling.” 

“W-wait for me guys. You might need me you know? I feel bad leaving you guys behind-“ Leorio was cut off by Valeria who shrugged her shoulders carelessly. “I bet you just heard something questionable and decided to come find us. You’re not exactly the best liar or actor.” Leorio pressed his lips together in irritation and just grumbled to himself for the most part. The four continued an isolated alleyway that looked deserted and dust bunnies even decided to float around. At first glance, it seemed like no one had lived here for ages as there was no sound but the soft whistling of the wind. 

“This is so creepy...there’s not a single person in sight.” Leorio looked around as he shuddered. He began to rub his arms up and down, attempting to warm himself up. 

“But there’s a lot of people here, right?” Gon asked while Leorio and Valeria gave him a weird look. Valeria had a gut feeling that this place might not be abandoned but she wasn’t certain. She didn’t care either. The area was completely barren with no vegetation. As a person who loves plants and studying them, Valeria doesn’t seem to worry about messing up the terrain if something was to happen.“I don’t know, but we can just tear down the buildings to make it easier.”

“I...I don’t think we need to do that, but we should stay alert” Kurapika glanced around, resting his hands on his wooden swords. 

“H-how do you know there are people?!” Leorio panicked, looking around in confusion and paranoia. His breathing quickened and his eyes darted around.

“I guess they’re hiding.” Gon nonchalantly point out. 

Suddenly, people appeared, with one old woman in a crowd and everyone else wearing masks. The old woman began chanting until she suddenly shouted: “Doki doki two choice quizzzz!”

The group of four stared at her in silence before the old woman spoke again. 

“You fellas are heading towards the tree on top of the mountain right? Well that’s not possible until you pass through this town. I will present just one question and you only have five seconds to answer. If you are wrong...you will immediately be disqualified and you will not be able to take the hunter exam this year.” The old woman explained.“Answer with either 1 or 2. Any other answer will be considered incorrect.” The old woman finished.

“Hey wait a minute...all four of us are asked just one question? So if he gets it wrong then I’ll be disqualified too?!” Leorio pointed at Kurapika who retorted: “That’s not possible. On the contrary, the chance of the opposite happening is so high that it’s frightening.” Leorio immediately got angry and tackled Kurapika. 

“But that also means only one of us has to get it right for all of us to pass!” Gon grinned. “Although I'm not that great with quizzes.” Looking at the boy then looking at each other, the pair released each other and stepped back.

“That makes sense.” The both grunted before looking away from each other. Valeria stared at them with a deadpan expression. She wasn’t sure if she was witnessing a typical boyish brawl, though she cannot really call Leorio a boy, or if she was watching idiots flail around like immature brats. Suddenly, a boy popped out from behind Valeria, causing her to swivel around with a hostile look in her eyes. Sensing no danger, she immediately retracted her bloodlust.

“Hey! Are you gonna hurry up or what?If you aren’t feeling too confident, why don’t you let me go first? Hehe sorry kid. I sort of overheard what you said at the harbour.” The boy smirked at Gon. He didn’t realize that Valeria had almost planned to grab his head and throw him into three buildings. But she was having second thoughts now.“Fuck you too.” 

“I-” He cleared his throat, unsure on how to reply to the sudden crude words from such a small girl. “I’ll go first.” 

“Here’s the question.” The old woman began. “Your mother and your girlfriend have been kidnapped by evil villains, and you can only rescue one of them: one is your mother the second is your girlfriend- who would you rescue?”

“One.”

“What’s the reason for you answer?”

“Obviously, I only have one mother in the whole world but I can always find another girlfriend.” 

The old woman and the people in masks huddled together to discuss. 

Valeria wrinkled her forehead slightly. She didn’t like the question-it hit too close to home. One of the many sayings originating from her village was to choose to die or to kill. It was drilled into her head to the point that she just wanted to forget.

“You may go.” The old woman beckoned the boy. 

“What kind of messed up quiz is this?! Stupid hag!” Leorio began yelling. He turned away and began to walk away. “There’s no correct answer and the answer will differ according to the person you ask! I can’t accept this. I’m going back to find a different route.” 

“Hmph...too late. If you choose not to take the quiz, you’ll be disqualified immediately and you’ll lose the right to become a hunter.”

“Leorio!” Kurapika began but was cut off by the old woman. 

“I will not allow you to speak another word.” The old woman stopped Kurapika. She glanced at Valeria. “Neither can you.”

Valeria sat down, crossing her legs and yawned. She ruffled her hair before answering. “Yes ma’am.” 

The old woman nodded and continued: “Now answer me, 1: you take the quiz, 2: you don’t take the quiz.” 

“One.” Kurapika immediately answered.   
“Now here’s the question: Your son and daughter have been kidnapped together but you can only rescue one of them. One, your daughter. Two, your son. Who would you rescue?” 

“How dare you-?!” 

The old woman began to count down while Leorio grabbed a stick and began swinging it around. When the old lady finished counting, Leorio began to attack. Valeria leapt up and grabbed the stick, while Kurapika stood in front of the elderly defending her. 

“Stop Leorio! Calm down.” Kurapika scolded.

“No I can’t! I can’t accept this system! It’s utter bull-”

“Are you going to give up your chance? We answered correctly! Silence is the correct answer since there can’t possibly be a correct answer. But the rule was you could only answer 1 or 2. So you can’t say anything.”

“Wha? But that guy just now…”

“They didn’t say he was correct. They just said he could ‘go’. Just a moment ago, I heard him scream so this is not the correct path.” Kurapika pointed at where the man headed to earlier. The old woman nodded.

“That’s right. The true path is this way. It's a straightforward path so you’ll reach the top within two hours.” Two masked people pulled a door open.

“Old lady...I’m sorry.” Leorio apologized.

“No, there’s nothing for you to be sorry about. I do this job to meet people like you. Work hard and become a good hunter.” 

“...Thanks.”

“I can’t come up with an answer!” Gon suddenly spoke up. The two other males began laughing while Valeria smiled a little. She stood up and dusted herself before putting an arm on top of Gon’s head. “The test is over.”

“I know that. But...if there ever comes a situation where we have to choose between two people who are precious to us to rescue, what are you going to do?” The two males looked shocked while Valeria stared at him. If it were her people, they’d just leave that’s why she didn’t reply. Because the weak cannot live. But Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio all wanted to save both- a mentality that could not be found. That new point of view, the more human and warm outlook, was the reason why she wanted to never go back.

“Neither one is the correct answer but there might come a day when we must make a decision.” Gon continued. Everyone continued in silence before they decided to move on.  
“Wait.” They looked back at the old woman who spoke again.

“You…” She pointed at Valeria. “I have a question for you. It’s not a test or a quiz...but mere curiosity.”

“Yes?”

“If you had to choose between your lover or your parents, who would you save?”  
“...There wouldn’t be a choice by then. My parents would kill themselves. If I saved my parents, they would kill themselves. If I chose my lover, my clan would brand me as a wise family head.” Valeria replied. Her male companions stared at her, mortified, confused and shocked.

“As I expected, you’re from the Lavine clan. A child came several years ago with a horrific answer.” The old woman stared at her. She then began quoting: “I would save my so-called lover, for the sake of producing an heir, a strong child, and witnessing their coming of age ceremony. I would have killed off my family long before they got kidnapped.” 

Valeria gave a disgusted smile. “Ah...the Lavine clan’s pride and genius...he’s always been twisted. Why bother asking me this question?” 

“Your aura wavers unstably.” The old woman put her hands behind her back. “Good luck on your exam.”

Valeria looked at the woman with slight confusion but turned away to end the conversation.


	3. Nature is Paradise

“It’s gotten completely dark.” Leorio commented. “Two hours had passed, dammit. And look, another sign about demon beasts...do you think we’ll even make it on time?” Leorio complained as he looked around anxiously. On the contrary, Valeria with her dead fish eyes, was the closest to heaven she has ever been. She was hugging and patting a large tree, nodding to the sound that each tree made before rebutting Lui- Leorio.

“I personally like it here. It’s nature. Stop complaining, Luiginardo di Cerio. And accept your inner self. We are one with nature.” She inhaled deeply before exhaling. Kurapika noted that sometimes, Valeria talked like a middle aged hippie. A very weird contrast in character considering how petite she looked in appearance. Also very contrasting with her violent behaviour.

“My name is Leorio! You’re so close yet so far! Ugh, I’m so done - I’m hungry and I want to take a crap.”

“Then do it. Although we might just leave you behind.”

“Shut up, you gorilla.”

“hUh? I must have a buildup of earwax, what did you say?”

“Leorio! Valeria! We’re going to leave you two behind.” Gon called out, which Leorio was very thankful for otherwise Valeria might target her violence towards him. Kurapika sighed in exasperation before staring forward once more around. No one in the group wanted to question Valeria about what her conversation with the old woman was about. Especially since she has been acting really odd ever since the conversation-for example, hugging trees. Kurapika glanced up and his eyes widened. He walked over to Valeria and peeled the girl off the tree. He grabbed her hand and pulled the lifeless girl behind him. 

“I see our destination.” Kurapika said.

“Thank god we’re finally here.” Leorio stretched.

“It’s quiet...are we the only applicants here?” Kurapika asked. Leorio knocked on the door but there was no reply. The group entered to only see a demon beast holding onto an injured girl and there was an injured man lying down.

“A demon beast!” Everyone was on guard. The beast barged through the boys who were lined up while Valeria rushed next to the injured man's and propped him to a more comfortable position. Kurapika and Gon ran out, but Valeria followed the two. “Leorio, stay behind and look after the injured one. I have antibiotics and painkillers that may work slightly better than the average one. But they hurt more. There’s also some medicinal leaves packaged inside bags that you can use as bandages.” She tossed her bag to him and dashed out, following the other two and leaving Leorio momentarily dumbfounded, but determined. The group chased the demon beast, who ran into the forest. 

“That way.” Gon immediately tracked the beast down. 

“Seriously, that kid is amazing… He pinpointed the position instantly.” Valeria whistled as she caught up to them. Kurapika turned around in surprise and asked: “Why didn’t you stay behind? You seem to have some knowledge in medicine.” 

“Not really. I just like plants. But if you told me to wrap and clean a wound, I won’t be able to do that.” Valeria crouched against the tree horizontally, holding on to a branch that was her only support from falling off. She tapped the tree lightly with her right foot. Then, all in an instant, she lets go of the branch while pressing her weight horizontally against the tree and boosted herself forward at a dashing speed, leaving a dent in the tree. “Gon, if I go off course, tell me.”   
“Okay!” Gon nodded.

Valeria’s eyes searched the forest as she whizzed by, before she caught a glance of the beast. She grabbed a branch, pivoted herself around it so her momentum doesn’t lead her to breaking through the branch and falling down, and landed right in front of it. Startled by the sudden appearance of the girl, the beast leapt back. However, Valeria ran up to it and grabbed the girl from the beast with one hand, pulling her out with safety.

“....?!” The beast didn’t react quick enough for Valeria to immediately deliver a swift kick, sending him back, knocking down a few trees in the process.

“Pity...the poor trees.” Valeria leapt up onto a steady branch while Kurapika and Gon caught up. 

“Why you…! I won’t forget this!” The beast dashed off, further into the forest, with Gon chasing after him. Gon grinned in amusement.“Wow! He talks! I’ll go after him. You two look after the lady.”

Valeria and Kurapika leapt back down onto the grass as Valeria gently laid her down.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?” Kurapika asked.

“Yes...What about my husband and what happened to him?” The girl looked up at them with worried eyes.

“He’s being taken care of by our friend.” Kurapika answered. 

“Please take me to where my husband is.” The woman pleaded, stretching her hand out desperately. The tattoo caused Kurapika to be more on guard, while Valeria seemed to look at a particular bush. She pulled out a metal rod attached to her waist that was hidden by her cardigan and it extended to a silver staff. She prodded the bush until Leorio stepped out.

“Kurapika, Valeria, are you two alright?” 

“I’m in a better shape than the trees.” Valeria answered, a little bit puzzled as to why Leorio didn’t react exaggeratedly and didn’ complain about her swinging her staff around. She didn’t think much of it, but Kurapika did. The Kurta survivor closed his eyes briefly, as if trying to get in the role before asking: “Yeah...Gon went after the demon beast. How’s the man doing?” 

“There’s nothing to worry about. His injuries weren’t that bad and he took some painkillers and is sleeping now.” Leorio gave a thumbs up. Kurapika stared at him before punching him across the face. Leorio, or the fake Leorio, hissed before dissolving into its’ true form.“How did you know I was fake?” 

“I didn’t particularly think you were a fake...but he left the injured man and came here instead so I struck him.” Kurapika glared. The beast laughed, amused with the answer, and escaped. Valeria shrunk her staff and stuffed it back to where it originally was and chased the demon down. Kurapika sighed, letting the Lavine girl chase it down before directing his attention to the girl. “Now then, who are you?”

Meanwhile, as Valeria darted around, she sneezed. She then called out:“Hey...demon beast...would you mind going to an open plain? I really don’t like destroying plants.”  
Laughing as if the girl was an idiot, the beast simply quickened his pace.“Hehehe...as if I’m letting a Lavine get a bigger advantage.” 

“Wow, how did you know?” Valeria asked, monotonously, hinting that she was being sarcastic. The beast, however, decided to humour her. “First of all, you have light brown hair and clear teal eyes, traits that the women of the clan have. Secondly, you have a dragon tattoo on your left thigh.”

“Anyone can have that-” Valeria easily caught up and just before she grabbed it, the beast interrupted: “Of course, a simple dragon tattoo isn’t enough to confirm it but the Lavines have a particular inking style. And need I say more about your horrendous strength? You also held a weapon with the clan symbol engraved. But most importantly, you have the same vibe as the rest of them.” The demon beast’s eyes gleamed as it saw the shortened iron rod on the waist of the girl. It suddenly sensed danger and it's beady eyes immediately widened as Valeria appeared right next to it.

“I applaud you. Then should I share my insight? Lesson one: You have different injuries than the other beast.” Valeria flicked the beast on the forehead and sent him crashing straight down. She landed on one of the branches, crouching in an unladylike fashion. Her teal eyes followed the retreating and limping figure, like a hawk preparing for it’s next strike.“Lesson Two: Don’t compare me to the rest of them. Unlike them, I hate violence and murdering.” She then yawned and scratched the back of her head. “You got me there, mister navigator. I completely flipped and was prepared to eliminate you.”

She stood up and stretched side to side before slapping her face. “Now then. What should I do? Just mindlessly follow him?” She tapped her chin before starting to chase it again. “I guess I’ll do just that.”

She rushed through the forest until she saw Gon facing off with a demon beast.

“You’re different!” Gon shouted accusingly.

“Found you.” Valeria simultaneously pointed.

The demon beast looked at both children before laughing out and calling his wife out.   
Kurapika and Leorio, along with the “supposingly injured” couple, stepped out into the clearing.

“What…?” The group was confused about what was happening. 

“How many years has it been since we met a human who could tell us apart?” The two beasts stared at Gon. One of them pointed at Valeria. “And she’s pretty observant for someone who has dead-fish eyes.”

“What did you just say, bastard?” Valeria asked.

“Well I’m sure you guys know by now, but we’re navigators.” They said. “Kurapika has an impressive set of knowledge and he was able to capture the subtlest hint that we weren’t a couple.” 

“Leorio couldn’t figure out my identity, but he was able to perform first-aid faster and more accurately than even a doctor. Also, he continued to console and encourage me that my wife was alright.”

“Gon possessed excellent athleticism and observation skills.”

“And Valeria possesses good control over her superhuman strength. She seemed to have caught on that we weren’t hostile as the last blow wasn’t as terrible as it seemed. Otherwise, I would’ve broken one of my legs.”

“Sorry about that sir. If you haven’t idly talked, I would have just assumed you were an enemy and went overboard.” Valeria rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

“You guys pass.” The family of magical beasts nodded in approval. They carried the group to the site as Valeria and company enjoyed a flight through the skies. However, they weren’t even at the starting line.


	4. NEVER Judge by Appearance

“What? So are you saying that this normal restaurant is where hunter prospects from all over the world are gathered?” Leorio asked dubiously as the four Hunter candidates looked at a small restaurant. Standing next to a grandiose skyscraper, the aging wooden walls lacked in the impressive visual factor. It didn’t really resemble the glory that the Hunter Exam held. They walked in as the navigator continued to guide them in. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“Welcome!” The owner of the restaurant shouted out. “Your order?”

“The steak meal.” 

“How would you like it cooked?”

“Slowly over a weak fire.”

“Coming right up.”

“Please follow me to the room.” Immediately, a waiter came up to them and brought the group to the very back of the restaurant where there was an isolated room. Everyone stared at the table with food awkwardly, unsure on what to do and how to move. Finally, Valeria strided to a chair and sat down, with legs criss crossed and clapped her hands together. “Thanks for the food.” 

The other three slowly and cautiously followed her gesture but stopped and looked back at the navigator, when he began to talk again: “One out of 10,000. That’s the probability of making it to this room. You guys have done extremely well for beginners. Alright then, good luck rookies. We’ll be more than happy to guide you guys next year too.” He smiled cryptically, not at all offering words that would provide them empty hope. Valeria assumed it was due to his long term experience with the job. The navigator bowed once more, bidding them farewell, before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. The moment he left, the room began to shake and started to move. 

“That was rude. He talked as if he knew we wouldn’t pass this year.” Leorio started stuffing his face. The others couldn’t tell if he did so because he was frustrated with the reply he received, or if he was simply starving. Kurapika decided to humour all of them by explaining the difficulties and the true intent of the navigator’s “blessing”: “Once every three years. That’s the estimated rate for rookies passing. And we’re all rookies here.”

“Why do people go through such hardships?” Gon asked. It was a surprising question coming from someone who was choosing to go through such hardships himself. The other three teenagers responded at the same time with different answers. “A hunter is the...” 

“Most free...” Valeria clenched her fists, revealing a more desperate vibe rather than a determined one.

“Most well paid...” Leorio smirked, rubbing his hands together like a con artist would.

“Most respected...” Kurapika exclaimed, pride and determination fueling the passion in his eyes.

“Job in the world.” All three of them finished their sentences, staring at one another. Immediately, an argument took place. Leorio slammed the table every few seconds, trying to emphasize his points while Kurapika calmly denounced every claim Leorio made and elaborated on his own ideas. Valeria picked her nose and answered Leorio’s and Kurapika’s interrogative questions with very little idea of what she wanted to do before covering her ears and zoning out when she started to get annoyed. 

“What kind of hunter do you want to be?”

“Uh. A plant researcher. Blacklist hunter? I dunno.”

“Why?”

“I like plants. But also my strength is the only thing that I have going for me.”

“Why did you become a hunter?”

“I dunno, personal freedom?”

“So in a sense, you mean you want to be respected right? Not for some lame ambition like money.”  
“Sure?”

“Nono, you want to become a blacklist hunter for money too right?”

“I mean yeh...I guess.”

Gon stared at them momentarily and Valeria used this chance to reassure him. “If you’re confused, don’t listen to the babbling idiots. We can sort everything out after we pass the exam.”

“What?!” Leorio and Kurapika shouted. “Are you saying we’re stupid?”

“I think you’re confused and you’re just trying to pretend that you know what they’re talking about so you can push the confusion onto me.” Gon added and Valeria immediately avoided staring into his eyes. For a naive, nay, an extremely naive kid like Gon, he was ridiculously perceptive. Valeria cleared her throat and placed her palm on the table, cracking and splitting it in half. “You got a problem?” She stared back at Leorio and Kurapika with a menacing look in her eyes. The two shut up before Kurapika spoke again. “Then Gon, what type of Hunters do you want to be.”

“I don’t really know…” Gon commented. Before the group could continue their conversation any further, the elevator came to a stop and there was a ring, which indicated they were at their destination.They stepped out and the group felt the tension in the air right away. They couldn’t continue the easygoing and light atmosphere they had a while ago. The other participants watched them, analyzing their newcomers and potential threats, before keeping to themselves. The three boys stuck closer to Valeria who stared at the sea of people with a dead and dazed expression. 

“What’s with this uncomfortable closeness?” Valeria asked the three despite not showing uncomfort unlike the words she said. Instead, she had a more motherly atmosphere as if she was the mother hen, protecting the group from some kind of predator. Although it was a laughable metaphor, Valeria held respect for mother hens. They were surprisingly, very aggressive and strong for livestock animals. 

“We just think that you have the most relaxed expression. So like, it feels as if we stick close enough to your unaware and lazy personality, we won’t go crazy from the tension. Besides, if anything happens you can use your gorilla strength to beat the shit out of others-” Leorio replied before he was cut off. Valeria had turned her head immediately, with a wide eyed and crazed look as she quietly questioned: “Who are ye calling gorilla?”. As if on cue, the floor underneath her suddenly became cracked and turned into a crater. She spat at the ground, brought her thumb to her neck and quickly motioned “off with your head”, warning Leorio to never call her a gorilla again. As Kurapika and Gon stifled their laughter, Leorio bowed in apology while Valeria stomped away in anger.

A man watched them enter and immediately figured out they were rookies. An abnormal alien with monster strength, she was a rookie and thus still very gullible. He decided to approach the girl, who was separated from her group, and offered his hand in greeting. He waited for the green bean-like creature to hand Valeria her number tag before he formally introduced himself. “Yo! I’m Tompa! Glad to meet ya! Here’s a can of juice as a token of friendship.” He pulled out a can of orange juice instead once he noticed that Valeria simply stared at him instead of shaking his hand. She adjusted her gaze and fixated it on the can instead. 

“Valeria.” She responded with her name before taking the can and opening it, slightly curious what the mysterious juice was. However, before she could take a sip of it, another kid approached them. He had spiky white hair and bright blue eyes. He is the same height and looks the same age as Gon. With a skateboard tucked underneath his right arm, he outstretched his left in a demanding demeanour. 

“Hey Tompa. Do you have any more of that juice?”

“Huh? Sure…” Tonpa looked baffled before opening his bag to reveal cans of the juice. The kid shamelessly took numerous cans of juice and began to chug all of them down. Valeria arched her eyebrow and offered it to the boy. “I didn’t drink any, but I think you need this more than me.”

The white haired boy stared at her momentarily, studying whether or not if she knew what was really in the can, before he grinned. “As thanks, I’ll let you know that there’s some serious wack stuff in there. Ah, don’t worry about me. I’ve been trained so that even the most hardcore poisons don’t work on me.” 

However, before Killua could take the can, Valeria clenched her fist around the juice, causing the juice within it to explode out and drip down her hands. Killua jumped back, barely avoiding getting drenched before frowning at the girl with a displeased look. But the girl directed her hostility towards Tonpa and before he could react, she placed her hand on his hand. What appeared to simply be resting her hand on his head was actually a very heavy push towards the ground. Tonpa found the pressure on his head unbearably heavy and the ground beneath him, when he tried to withstand it, crumbled and formed a crater. His knees then gave way and he fell onto them, breathing heavily from exhaustion. She then “lightly” tapped the back of his head, planting his face into the ground. 

“If I had drank that, shit myself out of the exam and died, I would’ve made sure to personally pluck your limbs, boiled them with shit and fed it to you.” Valeria dug her heel into the man’s back angrily while a shocked and pale looking Killua had a nervous smile on his face. This girl, no, this gorilla was batshit crazy. He’d rather not associate himself with crackheads. Tonpa struggled to get up, but could barely move so he talked instead. He turned his currently bloody and swollen face towards her. “Ummm...I don’t think a dead fish eyed gorilla like you would die from that.”

Valeria grabbed him by his collar and smiled with that empty pair of eyes. “Whad’ya say, you fat piece of lard? Want another blow to your face by this dead-fish-eyed female gorilla?” She was about to punch him when a weird screech echoed throughout the room. Valeria flung Tonpa to the side and dusted her hands as she directed her attention to a lanky man in a suit with a particularly styled moustache.  
“Let’s commence the Hunter Exam! I will confirm one more time: The exam is extremely difficult and dangerous. If you don’t care, please follow me.” He said. Without hesitating, he turned and began walking down the tunnel. Not much longer, he began to pick up his pace. Valeria found herself transitioning from dragging her feet to now running. She had mindlessly followed him, but everyone around her seemed perplexed as to why they were running.

“I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Satotsu and I’m the examiner of the first exam. I will now escort you to the second exam site.” Their guide seamlessly and calmly introduced himself, not at all interrupted or affected by his odd style of walking/running. Valeria noted it was a very impressive skill. For the lungs, stamina, and vocal cords. Vocal cords? He could pull off incredible singing.

“What? What about the first exam?” Someone asked, who was clearly more in the right mind and concerned about the right things. 

“The first exam already began...it’s to follow me to the second exam.”

Valeria was running and minding her business while the white haired boy next to her was riding a skateboard. Their eyes met each other briefly and they started to run/skate faster and faster. Annoyed, a vein popped on Valeria’s forehead as she gritted her teeth. “Hey...are you picking a fight with me?”

The boy smirked. “Not a fight but a race. Let’s see if you have super speed like you do for super strength.” He then began to pull ahead, and Valeria felt her irritation boil over as she suddenly started sprinting. “Damn brat.”

The two began racing until they reached Gon, Leorio and Kurapika. One could argue it was an unfair race. Valeria, with an ugly expression on her face, was sprinting with her dead fish eyes looking like they were going to pop out and her eyebrows were going to permanently knit together into an unibrow. Meanwhile, the boy just skated forward with a serene, slightly childish, expression with ease. However, Valeria, thrown into the unexplored and dangerous forests and mountain ranges of her hometown, developed enough stamina and muscle to outrun the largest python species in the world, the angriest wild boars, and the wickedest bears. Although it was slightly unattractive and boorish.

“Oh!” The four exclaimed, when they were reunited. Kurapika looked like he wanted to ask if she was okay, but after their brief journey together, he figured it was just another Valeria thing. Leorio and Gon, however, were focused on the new kid on a skateboard.

“Hey kid! That’s not fair!” Leorio shouted.

“What why?” The boy asked, innocently. Innocent. Valeria almost snorted to herself. Within the first few seconds she met him, she could tell that Leorio and Gon were definitely more naive and innocent than him. Leorio especially. 

“It’s not against the rules…” Gon responded for the kid. “The examiner only said to follow him.”

“Don’t waste your stamina.” Kurapika sighed.

“Stop complaining, Luigi.” Valeria added.

The boy glanced back at Gon, interest in his eyes. As if pondering something, he finally asked: “Hey you...how old are you?”

“I just turned 12.” Gon answered.

“Hmmm…” The newcomer hummed. He then leapt off his skateboard, demonstrating a small trick that Valeria could not tell if he was trying to impress Gon or not, before running next to Gon. “Fine, I’ll run too. I’m Killua.”

“Wow that was amazing! I’m Gon!” Gon smiled brightly. Valeria’s baffled expression showed both worry and concern for Gon. Killua read her mind instantly. She found Gon too trusting and too easily impressed. Too simplistic and too innocent for the Hunter exam. Killua pointed, rudely, at Valeria and asked:“Hey miss! What’s your name?” 

“I’m Valeria.” She answered, skeptically. 

“Not King Kong? What a surprise.” Killua responded within less than a second and Valeri immediately rolled up the sleeve of her cardigan, her third vein popping. “Why you-”

She was cut off immediately as the boy targeted his interest in Leorio instead. Kurapika also, tiringly, restrained her by using a trick he learned over the course of their journey: sticking one of the mystery lollipops Valeria always carried with her into her mouth. They’ve all learnt that the lollipop wasn’t just to cure the girl’s boredom and the need to jump into danger-it was a way for her to manage her temper. Although she appears to remain in a state of boredom, carelessness, and laziness, she was rather easy to rile up. It just depends whether she’s seething with anger or if she becomes an annoying prick instead.

“Hmmm….What about you ossan! What’s your name?” Killua looked at Leorio. Leorio looked offended and shouted at him.“Wha-?! I may look like this but I’m still in my teens just like the rest of you guys.” 

“Eh?” Valeria’s face reduced to a completely blank face, frozen and ready to disintegrate. Kurapika shared the same state of mind, although less stupid of an appearance. The two began to contemplate things, murmuring so it seemed like they were attempting to whisper, but truthfully they were loud enough that the whole group could hear what they were saying. 

“So...there are middle-aged people who still have toddlers’ faces.” Valeria began.

“The world is truly a surprising place. I have to explore more, there’s so much that I don’t know yet.” Kurapika nodded. 

“Oi. I can hear you.” Leorio muttered menacingly. Of course, the pair ignored him. Three hours had passed and almost everyone was ready to pass out, except for Valeria, Gon and Killua. They seemed to be doing swimmingly well, in fact. Kurapika wondered if it was because the boys were children, who always seemed to have an infinite amount of energy. Valeria...she was a mountain gorilla. Kurapika himself, however, was doing relatively well. Other than feeling slightly tired and dripping with only a few beads of sweat, he was doing alright. However, the same cannot be said for Leorio. He was panting heavily and he was soaked in sweat. His feet started to drag him down, and the distance between him and the group grew wider and wider. 

“Where’s the oss-teenager who looks like a middle-aged man and the kids?” Valeria asked, after a while.

“You still haven’t gotten over it yet, have you.” Kurapika laughed, brokenly. Talking was still a bit of a taxing action for him.

“Well...I find it really hard to believe. I mean...if you were 100% certain about someone’s identity to only have the entire impression destroyed within a second - it makes you suffer an existential crisis.” Valeri closed her eyes and shuddered. Kurapika opened his mouth then closed it. He then, carefully, chose his words: “I think you’re just overthinking it.”

Valeria was about to reply when Leorio suddenly, bursting with energy, dashed past them. As he hollered at the top of his lungs with no particular reason, the kids skipped up next to Valeria and Kurapika with matching amused expressions. Valeria and Kurapika stared at Leorio’s oddly running figure with concerned expressions.

“What the hell?”


	5. Hide Your Fetishes Please

“Leorio are you alright?” Kurapika asked the bearded teenager. Leorio was running half nakedly and sweating buckets. His eyes were bulging and he seemed as if he was going to have a seizure and collapse. Whether it was out of horror, spite, or amusant, Valeria just had to snarkily add: “Do you mean if he’s physically or mentally alright? Or both?”

“Shut up Gorilla! As you can see...I realized I can keep going as long as I don’t care about appearances!” Leorio shouted at her, gritting his teeth as he attempted to control his breathing and ignore the discomfort he had. He seemed too focused on running and not passing out that he had forgotten gorilla was a trigger word for the girl.

“Hmmm...you sure don’t care about calling me gorilla. Be thankful that I’m such a considerate person that I won’t bash you into the wall right now because we’re doing a marathon and you look like a fish that flew out of the ocean.” Valeria smiled threateningly at Leorio, sending a shiver down his spine. He averted his gaze while Kurapika remained silent and took off his poncho as he tried to lighten the weight of clothes. As he ran straight, he asked them both a question.

Can I ask you both something?” Kurapika asked.

“I don’t want to waste my stamina talking.” Leorio responded curtly, awkwardly distancing himself from them. Valeria, not necessarily trying to prompt Leorio to talk, retorted:  
“If you’re so concerned about stamina, just take off your pants like you did with your top. It’s not like you care about appearances and you don’t have anything to lose. It’s probably not as shocking as you being a teenager. Besides you’ll gain things instead: Speed and attention.”

“You...really have a nasty personality. No normal girl would tell a man to strip his pants off in the middle of a marathon threateningly.” Leorio paled, instinctively raising his arms over his chest. Annoyed and disgusted with his reaction she rolled up her sleeves and was ready to fling him back to the starting line. However, Kurapika interrupted the two: “Leorio, are you really trying to become a hunter only for money? From what I’ve seen, you aren’t like the greedy people that I have met before.”

“Oh yeah, no shit Sherlock, he ain’t like no teenager boy I’ve seen before.” Valeria muttered underneath her breath. Kurapika simply chose to ignore her side comment, already developing an immunity towards her peculiar behaviour and speech habits during the short time they’ve met. Leorio on the other hand, was still easily provoked and couldn’t help but answer her first.

“You sure don’t ever shut up.” Leorio scowled at Valeria who stuck her tongue out. He then responded to Kurapika’s observation, showing blatant displeasure. “You sure like arguing with logic.”

Seeing that Leorio was unwilling to share more of his story, Kurapika decided to spill his own backstory. Valeria didn’t take him for the person to be willing to share whatever tragic story it was.

“Scarlet eyes were the reason why the Kuruta tribe was targeted. Our tribe was the only people who have that unique trait. If our emotions become intense or excited, or pupils turn scarlet. If we die in that state, the colour remains. The colour of the eyes is one of the seven most beautiful colours in the world.”

“So you’re saying that’s why the Phantom Troupe massacred your tribe?” Leorio asked.

“I will reclaim the eyes of my people and avenge them.” Kurapika clenched his fists, his teeth grinding into one another.

“They’re probably sold in the black market- ah. So that’s why you want to become a Hunter, the privileges.” Valeria commented.

Leorio stared at Kurapika briefly before choosing to explain his purpose. He was far more sympathetic than he made himself out to be.“Too bad….I don’t have a noble reason like yours. My goal is simply money.”

“What? You honestly think you can buy everything with money-” Kurapika looked like he was ready to start an argument or possibly a fight. But before he was given a chance to, Leorio shouted the reason behind his motive. A very honest person. “Because with money, I could afford surgery for my friend. I could have afforded medication for my friend. I could have allowed my friend to continue living!”

Silence descended onto them and Valeria attempted to break the stifling silence. She picked her nose before sneezing and grunted her respect for them. “You’re both pretty respectable. It isn’t often you run into righteous people. I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone before who had a motive driven by others’ suffering.”

Kurapika and Leorio exchanged glances. Frankly, they were curious about her purpose ever since the trivia. Valeria lacked will or any resolution during the whole trip and seemed nonchalant about everything. She had told them that she just tried to run away from home, but there could be easier ways to do that than to take the exam. “What about you Valeria…Member of the Lavine clan?” Kurapika asked. “I heard that the clan was rather strict, but there isn’t much intel on it. In fact, I’ve heard that even on the Hunter resources, there’s only one article with facts about them and it’s written by someone in the clan.”

Valeria blew on her finger, and dusted it. “Ah that...that’s probably because either Papa blackmailed nosy and curious journalists, or the past chief ordered them not to or just killed them off. Most likely the latter.” She paused, studying the atmosphere around her. A suffocating air hung around the three as the two boys were unsure what to say. A little bit amused about the blatant disbelief and slight disgust on their faces, she continued. “The clan isn’t really a fan of outsiders. They just see other people as inferior beings of course there are always rare exceptions. And unlike you two, fighting for your own justice and whatever, I was sent to this exam to test my worthiness of taking over my family. This is just a game to my tribe for them to get rid of the failures.” Valeria shrugged.

“Wait, but I thought you were running away? Leorio asked while Kurapika contemplated her words.

“A game to your tribe,” Kurapika repeated. “Then what is this exam to you?”

“A game.” Valeria grinned. Her eyes didn’t reflect her words or smile, it seemed as if it was more dead than her dead fish eyes looked initially. “A game to see if I can defend my little bro from being buried alive as a clan failure and to see if I can take away his burden. I’m not joking about running away though, I plan on taking my younger brother with me after I measure my own abilities in the exam. Sorry Kurapika, not all clans are close and tight to the point where a single child will avenge his own clan. I could care less if my clan was massacred just like how Papa would care less if my brother died.”

Kurapika opened his mouth but closed again and looked forward.

Leorio sighed. “I guess everyone here has their personal reasons.”

The trio, without speaking, somehow agreed to focus on their marathon. Although it was a heavy subject for them and it did put a more serious atmosphere around them compared to what they were used to, it brought them closer. As they continued to proceed upwards, they reached a clear opening with a crystal clear sky and a large marsh beneath them. Gon and Killua skipped over to the trio and greeted them, their endless energy because of their youth, irritated and blinded Leorio’s eyes. However the girl was distracted. Valeria’s eyes brightened up as her eyes swept over the marsh, pleased with the ridiculously high number of species she has never seen. She didn’t show a hint of fear or hesitation even when the examiner said that they were extremely dangerous and people would most likely die.

“Well then please take precautions and follow me. “Oh and another thing! The species that live in the marsh stops at nothing to gain food. The ecosystem tricks and eats their target is the very reason why this place is called swindler’s nest. Now then, please follow me closely.” Satotsu was about to take a step towards the direction of the marsh. However, the group was interrupted by an injured man, climbing out from behind the walls of the exit. He raised a bloody finger, pointing at a dead monkey in his hands and exclaimed: “Stop! Don’t be tricked! I’m the real examiner! He’s fake, to be more exact he’s a human faced monkey that lives in the marsh. They like to eat fresh humans but they’re too thin to fight so they disguise themselves as humans, lure their prey into the marsh, and band with other species to eat them.”

Valeria scratched her head in confusion. “Were there other exits other than this in the tunnel?”

Kurapika shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“There wasn’t. Why?” Killua confirmed. Valeria then tilted her head, confusion in her eyes. “I mean yeah, our ‘fake examiner’ is kinda freaky with the way he walks but like, I don’t think there’s any way for the marsh species to enter and replace the real one.”

Kurapika smiled and answered what was causing her to be confused. “It’s because the injured one is fake.”

“You’re kinda slow aren’t you?” Killua crossed his arms behind his back, which led to Valeria’s vein popping and Gon having to stand between them to calm the girl down. Before Leorio could ask what Kurapika meant, there were suddenly cards embedded within the newcomer’s head. The whole group turned their head to see the most dangerous looking examinee in the group: Hisoka. A red haired clown with a snatched waist. Valeria stared at his waist with envy, a little bit peeved that a clown had a better figure than she did. Meanwhile, the one who was accused of being a fake, caught all of the cards. Hisoka merely chuckled and shuffled his cards as the dead “examiner” slowly reverted into a monkey. The monkey it held was playing dead, but now that the monkey it was working with actually died, it tried to run away - only to be killed by Hisoka.  
“He’s the real one.” Hisoka looked at Satotsu. “Examiners are chosen by the judging committee. It wouldn’t make sense for a person who holds the occupation to not be able to fend for themselves with an attack like this.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. But any attack whatsoever will be disqualified immediately. Understood?” Satotsu returned Hisoka’s cards nonchalantly and the clown simply shrugged dismissively. A flock of birds emerged and began to peck away at the dead monkeys, causing Leorio to gag in disgust.

“That’s the natural ecosystem here. The fake was going to lead some examinees astray and eat them. Life and death tricheries occur here all the time. Now then...time to continue.” Satotsu proceeded into the marsh and the rest of them started to go after him. Leorio felt a shudder. Even if Valeria did fall for the monkey’s claim, she still found the situation strange and most likely would’ve done the same as Hisoka - which was to attack both. But Leorio would have followed the monkey if it wasn’t for Hisoka’s little experiment.

“But honestly I hated how calm and testy that Hisoka was. I hate those kinds of people though I don't have the right to say that.” Valeria sneezed. An image popped up in her head but she shook her head, trying to focus on the people in front of her. The fog thickened and of course, Leorio had to comment on it.

“Hey...isn’t the fog getting thicker?” He asked.

“I’m starting to hear screaming.” Kurapika looked around.

 _“Hey Valeria, you might as well just strangle your brother with your own hands.”_ A familiar voice whispered from behind her, out of nowhere.

Valeria paused and instinctively kicked whatever was behind her, which happened to be a Kirihit Onosesame. She sent it flying into another fog turtle and both crashed into numerous trees before they were out of sight. Leorio and Kurapika’s eyes widened in shock, one was in a state of fear and the other was thoroughly impressed. Both creatures were presumably dead as the flock of birds they had seen before dove down. They knew Valeria was strong but not this strong. They looked back at her only to see herself staring at the direction she had sent the frogs with slight confusion. But she was also breathing more heavily, not her usual calm and careless attitude. “Huh? I thought...did you guys hear someone say something just now?”

Kurapika glanced at Leorio who shook his head. “No, neither of us did. Unless you meant my comment about people screaming.” Valeria rubbed her eyes before inhaling deeply. She exhaled and noticed the two boy’s concerned looks. She shook her hand dismissively, reassuring them. “Don’t worry, I’m still sane. I thought I just heard something weird. I guess I’m not as big of a fan of slimy reptiles as I am of plants.”

Suddenly, she turned her head sharply, looking around in all directions. Leorio, a little bit freaked out by the consistent weird behaviours she was showing, muttered: “I don’t think that’s she’s sane. Maybe we should just knock her out and carry her to the exam location? Get her treated?”  
“Shh! Be on guard. There’s an intent to kill here.” She placed her hand on his mouth. After a brief pause, she pushed Leorio and dodged the incoming objects, catching the last one with her fingers. Kurapika also acted instantly and defended himself with his two swords. Fortunately for Leorio, Valeria was able to keep him out of the attack range and didn’t sustain any injuries. Actually, maybe when he hit the ground hard, due to her “light push” he felt his entire right side ache but nothing more than bruises and scratches.

“Are you two okay?” Valeria asked, finally seeing dead bodies all around them. The other two nodded. Kurapika growled at the emerging figure and shouted: “Bastard what's the deal?”

“Wait...that snatched waist-” Valeria placed one foot back, bending her knees slightly and lifted her arms in a defensive stance. Leorio stared at her quizzically, puzzled by what she meant before Hisoka revealed his face. The man smiled craftily and calmly replied: “I’m playing examiner. I was going to behave myself until the second exam but the first has been incredibly boring. So I thought I’d help with the selection process. By judging every one of you.”

The three watched as the other examinees tried to attack Hisoka, only to see them all end up dead, with cards impaled in each of them.

“You four are the last ones.” Hisoka looked at the trio and another examinee with them. Grimacing, the side character signaled them to run and scatter when he gave a sign. They all nodded and steadied themselves before running when he gave the command. Except the only thing is Valeria didn’t run. Hisoka smirked and looked at her with mild interest.

“Your friends made a smart move - choosing to run. Are you trying to buy time for them? Or are you trying to injure or kill me so they don’t have to go through the effort? Or are you scared stiff that you can’t move?” He licked his lips.

“None of the above, clown. I’m pissed that you tried to target us and that you have an absurdly good body.” Valeria leapt up and swung her arm, to which he dodged but sustained a scratch to his cheek from the air current caused by the speed and strength of her swing. She quickly leapt away from him and landed on the ground. She flung herself to the side, once she sensed flying inanimate objects again, presumably his cards. She then swiftly delivered a kick towards his legs once he came closer, leading him to leap up. Using her kick as bait, she grabbed his ankle and swung him back into the ground. Even with his face bashed into the ground, he stumbled and stood up, laughing as he wiped the blood from his nose. Unnerved, but trying to continue to remain calm, Valeria spoke up again.

“You’re pretty strong. For someone outside of the Lavine Clan.” Valeria dropped her hand, losing her will to attack him. She felt her mouth twitch into a smile, not out of happiness but out of slight fear. “Let me phrase this better. If this was simply a physical battle, I’d win. But my guts tell me I won’t. And I don’t assume it’s because you’re simply smarter.”

Hisoka smiled cryptically before clapping his hands, licking his blood off of his cheek “You pass, little lioness of the Lavine clan.”

Valeria was about to beg him to stop creepily licking his lips when Leorio appeared out of nowhere, swinging a twig. She felt her soul almost slip out because of the unexpected appearance. What could this money obsessed, middle aged looking teenager expect to do with a twig?

“You weren’t the only one who wasn’t going to run, Valeria.” Leorio swung his twig, lunging towards Hisoka.

“Leorio!” Valeria shouted. “Stop, you won’t win!”

Ignoring Valeria’s warning, Leorio aimed for Hisoka’s head but missed. Before Hisoka could attack, Valeria kicked up dirt into his face simultaneously when Gon threw his bait at Hisoka with his fishing rod. Valeria’s face blanked out, her dead and lazy expression becoming more slack. “We might as well all just die here.”

“Gon!” Leorio shouted in surprise.

“Not bad little boy. A fishing rod? Interesting weapon...can I see it?” Hisoka approached Gon. Out of defensiveness for Gon, Leorio tried to attack once more but was knocked out by Hisoka. Gon saw his opportunity and attempted another hit but Hisoka disappeared and reappeared again to wrap his hand around Gon’s neck.

“Did you come to help your friend?” Hisoka licked his lips, for the hundredth time, in the creepiest way Valeria has ever seen.

“What a good boy-” He was cut off by Valeria who grabbed his wrist and yanked his hand away. Both could hear tiny cracks in his wrist from Valeria’s “light” yank and her tightening grip. There was a crazed yet disgusted look in her dead fish eyes as she lost all sense of caution the moment the clown stared at Gon and punched Leorio. “Oi, don’t fucking touch him with your perverted and creepy smile. You ain’t being a pedophile on my watch, clown.” Valeria picked her nose with her other hand and dug it into his hair. “And this is for punching Leorio. Ain’t nobody bullying him other than me, okay? Actually...I’m fine with Kurapika bullying him. But that’s beside the point.”

She released him and Hisoka rubbed his wrist, seemingly pleased with his injury. At this, Valeria immediately pulled Gon behind her as she stared at him with absolute disgust. Hisoka disregarded that and laughed. “Haha normally, I would've killed you but since you passed and you have potential, I’ll let you go.” Hisoka looked at Gon. “Okay! You passed too! Become a good hunter.”

Hisoka pulled out a walkie talkie since it was beeping. A voice rang out: “Hisoka you should come back now. I think we’re about to reach the second exam site.”

The clown nodded. “Okay I’ll be right there.” He picks up the unconscious Leorio. “Are you able to make it back yourself?”  
Gon nodded, but Valeria outstretched her arm. “If you already guessed that I’m a Lavine, I don’t need to answer that. Pass Leorio back, I can carry him.” She spitefully spat on the ground. Hisoka smiled and walked away in approval. “It’s fine. I’ll get there faster than all of you anyways. Consider it as my apology for bothering you.”

“Gon! Valeria! What happened?” Kurapika ran up to them, distracting Valeria and causing her to lose sight of Hisoka. She ruffled her hair in annoyance. “A pedophile.”

She noticed Kurapika’s confusion but didn’t bother explaining. Instead, she stuck a lollipop into her mouth and glanced around. Pinpointing the direction they needed to travel in, she guided Kurapika and Gon through the forest. Gon and Kurapika watched her grumble and complain bitterly to herself. “Why do I have to do so much work? I just want to lie down and talk with the plants.”

“I think a lot of people would wish for your personality.” Kurapika contemplated. Gon nodded in agreement. He smiled and added: “You never seem to feel tension and you have a short tongue.”

“You think so? Then why does Papa always tie me up and hang me upside down from a tree when I talk back…” Valeria asked.

“Maybe that’s why your dad must have punished you. Maybe he has a short temper like Leorio and they both cannot handle your cheeky wits.”

Valeria sighed and the group began to run, in hope of joining back with the examiner sooner. “Give me a break. Everyone in my clan is so intense and their bad temper makes Papa pay an additional fee every month for repairments.I just want to relax.”

Gon and Kurapika exchanged smiles before raising their hands. “It’s okay, Valeria…” Gon grinned.

“You have us to be relaxed around.” Kurapika finished.

Valeria smiled the brightest smile a dead fish eyed gorilla could ever do and hung her arms around their neck. “Sorry but I don’t think I can. I have three idiots to take care of.”

“Four.” Gon corrected her.

“What? I’m pretty sure it’s three...I know I’ve always been cruddy at anything that requires brain power but-”

“Killua is our new friend.”

“Oh. That kid.” Silence filled the air. “But more importantly...I think my math is pretty good.”  
Kurapika sighed exasperatedly. “More importantly, she says. In the middle of nowhere, in constant danger, she thinks her math skills are more important.”


	6. Don't Cook if You Can't

“Cooking.” Valeria repeated the words before picking her ear, seemingly contemplating something. She, Kurapika, and Gon had already reunited with Leorio and Killua after their “scuffle” with Hisoka. The clown beamed at her, waving, to which she angrily yet fearfully flipped him off. After her string of surprisingly diverse vocabulary of curses, the examiner introduced the second exam. Dazed due to the confusion of whether or not she heard the examiner right, she turned her head towards her fellow examinees. “Did I hear that right?”  
  
"Crap! I haven't cooked before!" Leorio panicked and faced the other boys, who all shook their head, proving that they also did not know how to cook. Kurapika glanced at Valeria, studying her face briefly before asking whether or not she knew how to cook. Valeria did display confusion but not with furrowed brows. It was more of a pleasantly surprised expression. She had entered the exam expecting fully physical strength and primitive survival instincts to be the main components of the exam. But again, learning how to scratch up food from the middle of an unknown territory would be essential. Before the girl could respond, she was cut off by Leorio.  
  
"Kurapika, you don’t need to have any expectations from her. How many times has she demonstrated tyranny through sheer strength? Too many times. You can’t expect her to do anything resembling a decent human being. She's not a normal girl-she's a gorilla and gorillas don't cook!" 

Unamused, Valeria “lightly” patted his left cheek, sending the man flying to the right and having a swollen, symmetrical mess of a face. She gave him an impassive smile and knelt down in front of him, grabbing the tree behind him and cornering him. "I’ve warned you many times, don’t call me gorilla. Ye think that just because I’m slightly more tolerant towards you, Kurapika, Gon, and Killua that I won’t actually knock out some teeth? Also, for your information, cooking is in the subcategory of researching plants. Of course I can cook dipshit."  
  
She stood up, dusted her hands after easily clawing out a hole from the tree. Her facial expression returned to her neutral dead fish-eyed look, which also appeared to be somewhat refreshed, and responded to Kurapika."I'm fine with cooking up plants, making spices and sauces with them. Cooking animals is a completely different thing though. I usually just tie them up by the legs and hang them over a fire to roast them."  
  
_A caveman?_ All four boys shared the same immediate thought. Killua cleared his throat and redirected all of their attention back towards the examiner, preventing Gon or Leorio to actually say anything that could rile her up.   
  
"My menu is whole-roasted pig. It's my favourite. As long as the pig resides in the forest, any type will do. Now, let the second exam start!" Buhara finished the instructions. Valeria sighed in relief, glad that their first time was simply roasting a boar. She and the boy began to run off to the forest, aware of the competition to find the boars first. While it was exciting, to finally have the exam start, as none of them perceived their marathon as a true trial but rather an elimination round, none of them expected Valeria to be excited. If one could perceive her current expression as excitement. Her aura, as a spiritualist would say, had become dark and murky and spiked around her. She had a smile on her face, but her eyes had a psychopathic glint. The kind that usually appeared on a murderer’s face. She was excited to finally see the plants up close and to find new species she hasn’t seen before. The craving she had, found in all of Lavine's kin who desired battles of strength, had been redirected to exploring the environments around her. She began to chuckle to herself darkly. The group of friends deduced it was because Valeria didn't know how to smile properly, after many unusual encounters with her.

  
"Valeria, stop. You look like a perverted creep." Killua shuddered in disgust before sticking his tongue out, as if he was going to retch. Immediately, Leorio shook his head while waving his hand, trying to stop the boy from telling her what to do. He had learned that Valeria didn’t take criticism well and was preventing another oblivious person from falling victim to her threats. However, Valeria simply patted Killua's head. Killua could only see partially of her face and that was the gentle smile on her lips. She held a thumbs up and Killua’s cheeks flushed pink from the sibling-like affection that he didn’t know existed in Valeria, only to be frozen stiff with horror the moment he saw Valeria's entire face. She was grinning, but the air around her was filled with bloodlust and it was oozing out uncontrollably. She then ran ahead of the group and her shouting could be heard by the group: "I’m gonna snatch that license and become a millionaire and create my harem away from you Lavine bastards!"  
  
“...”  
  
"That's going to be the most excited Valeria I will ever see!" Kurapika burst out laughing.  
  
"That's going to be the most TRAUMATIZING thing I have ever seen." KIllua shuddered, with a tear hanging in the corner of his left eye. He rubbed his arms for comfort, but there was no luck. 

Valeria was ecstatic for such a simple task but also for another reason. She hadn't got the chance to fully embrace the plants and with this unforeseen opportunity, she inhaled deeply to calm herself down. Once she returned to her bored and unamused expression with a slightly pleasant grin, she looked around. This was the type of exam she likes. Green everywhere, plants everywhere- paradise! However the smile dropped as her peace was disturbed by The Great Stamp. The boars turned their attention to the lone girl who was trying to reach nirvana by breathing in the weed- ahem, the plants aroma. Immediately transitioning to a hostile mode, the boars hoofed the ground before attempting to headbutt her. Valeria raised a hand, stopping the pig directly in front of her. "This is why I like plant's better than animals. They can never go into a rebellious phase and betray you. Or senselessly attack you in this case." She flicked the pig in the forehead. Instant KO.  
  
The other boars paused nervously as she released a bloodthirsty aura before they circled around her, leaving a space, or more specifically, a path for her to walk through. The Great Stamp recognized her as their queen. Valeria lightly slung the dead pig's body off her shoulder while she began to chew gum. She came face to face with one of the examinees who jumped out and was planning on hitting a pig. He looked baffled to see a petite girl, blowing a bubble with her gum and having a pig larger than her easily tossed over her shoulders like a sack of rice.  
Valeria slapped him on the face, causing him to fly into another pig, who got up and carried it's prey away. “Outta the way, noob.” The pigs stopped once more and stared at Valeria. One of the pigs went under Valeria, voluntarily carrying her and now, she has gotten herself free transportation. The image was totally bizarre and even her new friends, knowing that unusual things happen around her, were taken aback with shock. A stampede of ferocious boars, with one carrying a petite girl, who was sitting cross legged with gum in her mouth, carrying another boar on her shoulder.  
  
"What the hell is she doing?!" Leorio shouted. "We're struggling to kill and evade the pigs only to see the wild gorilla to be worshipped."  
  
Valeria jumped off and fist bumped Gon and Killua, even though the kids were unsure of why they instinctively fist bumped her.  
  
"How did you manage to kill them?" Killua asked.  
  
"Flicking them in the forehead." Valeria shrugged. Killua opened his mouth and closed it again. He glanced at Leorio's not-yet-healed face and decided the reason was because she's Valeria. She had brute strength and is the gorilla of the jungle.  
  
"Okay." He nodded and looked to the side. Now he had to find a different way because obviously whatever worked for her won’t work form him-   


"I did it! You were right, Valeria! Their forehead is their weakness!" Gon smiled brightly Valeria patted his head in approval. The group stared at him. So their forehead was weak regardless how strong the attacker was? Killua rubbed his temple, his miscalculation throwing him off.  
  
"Good. You've become strong. Now we have to throw you off the cliff and you have to survive for a month by yourself in the wild and-" Valeria spoke out like a wise old sage but was cut off by Leorio.  
  
"NO! Stop! You can't do that!" Leorio shouted while swatting his suitcase at a nearby pig.  
  
Valeria blinked and cocked her head. "Ah. Foreigners don’t-"  
  
"No Valeria, this is probably only something your clan or family does. Don’t brush it off as a foreigner thing.” Kurapika sighed before he proceeded to attack one of the boars, which were being hunted simultaneously. They probably sensed that Valeria wasn’t going to help and thus some of them began to scatter.   
  
"Is that so?" Valeria frowned, thinking hard about it while having an existential crisis.  
  
"What's with your messed up family?" Leorio’s eyes twitched. Valeria simply shrugged as she now congratulated Killua and Kurapika on their capture of dead pigs. She quickly glanced at Leorio and looked away with a condescending smirk before picking her nose. Irritated and angered, Leorio raised his voice.  
  
"Just say what you want to say, dammit!" Leorio demanded.  
  
"Nothing! It's just that some of us are waiting for a certain someone to actually catch something so we can go back and roast them. Of course, let’s pray that you can catch a bug or something since the boars might be out of your league." Valeria flung her booger in a direction and seconds later, a small part of the tree had a hole and smoke was coming out of it. Valeria cursed and muttered something that was supposed to be a "missed". Paling in horror, Leorio resumed his attempts of defeating the monster and was finally successful after a while. Valeria began to start a fire and roasted her pig while the others did the same. Kurapika crouched down next to her, along with Killua. When they haven't said anything she asked: "What do you want?"  
  
"How did you become strong?" They both asked at the same time. It seemed natural that these two characters would want to know the key to power and strength. Gon looked up, and scooted closer to them, wanting to also listen in. Valeria blinked and merely replied: "I got thrown off a cliff, thrown onto an island of cannibals, thrown into a fight-to-death arena, thrown into the mountains for a month, thrown into the ocean, thrown into-" She was stopped by Kurapika and Killua as they raised their hands.  
  
"Your dad...doesn't seem to have a parental instinct." Kurapika sweatdropped.  
  
"Why? Are your parents different?" Valeria asked both of them merely out of curiosity.  
  
"Different..you ask. My parents doted on me, in fact everyone cared about everyone's well-being and looked out for one another. If I was injured, my parents would be heartbroken." Kurapika hummed sadly.  
  
"My parents dote on me for sure because I'm the favourite," Killua began. "But they make me go through harsh training but they still spoil me."  
  
"Dote? You mean throwing you off into-"

“No!” Both boys interrupted before struggling to find an explanation. Killua shook his head because his family was unusual as well and Gon...well he also has no say in father parenting. So Kurapika tried to explain.

“It’s like, they take care of you carefully and they will do everything they can to protect you. If they dote on you, it’s like you’re the most important thing to them and they treat you in a manner that reflects that.”

Valeria tilted her head. But a small smile crawled onto her face, despite having that lazy glint in her eyes like she always does. In fact, perhaps it's because of the lazy glint in her eyes, it made her smile seem a bit softer. "That doesn’t seem like a bad thing at all."  
  
Kurapika and Killua looked shocked to see the unfamiliar but soft on the eyes look that Valeria never managed to do. Gon then leapt from behind her back and wrapped his arms around her. “You don’t have to have blood relations to be in a treasured relationship with others. Look, right now you have us and we won’t throw you off a cliff, onto an island of cannibals, into a fight-to-death arena, into the mountains for a month, into the ocean, into-” Killua clamped his hand over the other boy’s mouth and sighed. Valeria stared at the roasted pork, watching the cinders fly out before returning to her dead attitude and standing up. She single handedly slung the now roasted pig on her back. The group began to run back to the location of the second exam and presented their pigs. When the examiner finished eating all 71 of the pigs, to Kurapika's horror, he announced that 71 of the contestants had passed.  
  
"Amazing…" Killua and Gon mused in awe at the man’s ability to easily swallow all of the food provided. Menchi sighed, shaking her head at his indiscriminately judgement before grinning and crossing her arms. "I'm not like Buhara...I am really strict. So for the second half of the second exam, my menu will be sushi!"  
  
Puzzled, Valeria and her group of friends looked at each other with puzzlement. She beat them to an anxious question they shared. "What the fuck is sushi?"  
  
They all looked at the area where they were supposed to cook. Valeria lifted up the wooden box and peered inside. "Rice?" Valeria looked utterly confused. She saw the weapons beside her and sighed. She had to look for ingredients? That's a pain. Valeria walked up to Leorio and Kurapika to see if the two teens had any idea what a "sushi" was.  
  
"...There is a dish where you add vinegar and spices to the rice and then you add fresh fish meat. I think." Kurapika whispered to the two.  
  
"Fish?! Do you realize we're in a forest?!" Leorio shouted  
  
Kurapika threw his spoon at Leorio and Valeria kneed him in the stomach.  
  
"Lower your goddamn voice!" They both shouted. However, it was too late, everyone ran out to the lake for the fish. Valeria, Leorio and Kurapika began to run too for God's sake.  
  
"Dammit, can't believe those cheaters were eavesdropping!" Leorio cursed.  
  
“You’re absolutely ridiculous.” Valeria and Kurapika shared an irritated look and followed him. When they approached a lake, everyone immediately rushed to find a spot at the side of a lake. Valeria took off her white cardigan, shoes and bag before stretching. Without fully warming up nor stretching, it was dangerous to go into the water. Especially if you cramp up and end up drowning. 

  
"You're going swimming?" Kurapika chuckled. As expected from the girl who always acts like she was raised in a jungle. Valeria nodded and jumped into the water. She submerged her head underwater and swivelled around, trying to find fish. The bigger the fish, the more meat right? Then she’ll just snab the fattest fish in the area without putting in effort to chase it. She swam swiftly to the largest fish, which she recognized that it was noticeably ugly. But it wasn’t flamboyant nor colourful. She hesitated for a moment then snatched it immediately before resurfacing. She picked her ear with her free pinky and walked back to where Kurapika and Leorio were. She would think that the Gourmet Hunters won’t suffer from a little bit of wildfish poison. Besides, she is having no problem holding it. Huh? Didn’t Killua have resistance to poison, so maybe he had knowledge of different poison’s sources. She slipped into her flats and tied her cardigan around her waist and confronted the assassin, asking him about it. He muttered that he didn’t know nor care but after the constant nagging, he ended up stabbing through the fish with his sharp nail and licked the blood that flowed out. He then said there was no poison before spitting out the raw taste of fish and she slapped him on the head in thanks.  
  
"I'm going back first." She waved at the two with dripping hands, princess carrying the flabby, grotesque looking fish. The fish was noticeably large, two thirds the size of Valeria herself even if the girl is considered small in human proportions. She walked away and the two stared at the retreating, soaked figure.  
  
"There's no way she's a girl." Leorio muttered.  
  
As Valeria waddled back to the second exam site, she looked around for any plants that may provide good flavour to the "sushi". She bent down and examined a chartreuse green plant with a dark and leafy tip. Shifting her grip of the fish to one hand, she picked it up with the other hand and bit a small part of the leaf. "Not bad. Spicy and a little bit of salty sweet taste like the Choy Sauce at home.”  
  
She plucked several of the plants and stuffed it into the fish's mouth and walked back, ruffling her wet hair. She placed the fish down and went back to the forest to hunt for more ingredients. She climbed trees and hung upside down, while biting on leaves to test the taste of the plants. There was an orange ground plant that was so small, it would barely bring forth the texture of it. But the flavour was mild but would also go well with the fish, rice, vinegar, and the green plant. She wandered a bit more before nodding in satisfaction with her exploration. She rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands and the ingredients before holding the knives upright. She then proceeded to cut and attack the poor fish. Blood splattered across her face and her surrounding examinees stopped cooking and stared at her in horror, in fear. They were obviously scared by this poor performance of cooking. Even Menchi looked like she was going to lose her appetite. Valeria then proceeded to grind the plant she found and this was approximately when Leorio and Kurapika returned. Both of them stared at her in shock as she waved at them, with a bloody knife in her bloody hands and a dead look on her bloody face. "Yo." She replied.  
  
Shaking, Kurapika and Leorio approached her while Kurapika handed her his extra towel, which no one knows why he has it. Valeria nods in thanks and wipes her face with it. She checked her rice, which was being steamed, before pounding it together. Everyone continued to cook and Valeria stuffed the fish in the rice along with the grinned plant. She wrapped it up and sprinkled the plant over it. She cutted it in small slices, not because she knew what sushi looked like, but because she was hungry and she wanted to taste test a slice. Somewhat satisfied with what she made she placed it on the plate and gave it to Menchi as the final contestant. Menchi stared at it then at the previous bloody girl. She shivered and shakingly lifted a piece and ate it. Immediately brightening up, Mench smiled. "The taste is excellent! Far better than all of those from before. I guess the secret to the taste is this mystery sprinkled object." Then she frowned. "But you still failed."  
  
Valeria blinked. "Huh?"  
  
"They way you cook is too grotesque, the appearance is really sloppy, the stuffing keeps sliding out which makes me really frustrated when I try to eat it and," Menchi spat out the rice which stilled retained its shape only to be covered in saliva and next to it, Menchi had spat. Out something sparkly white. Part of her teeth. "How the fuck did you make this? If I were an ordinary person, my entire teeth set would have been broken." She glowered.  
  
Valeria took one of the slices, the one furthest from Menchi's saliva she chewed on it. Everyone could hear a large crunching sound in her mouth before Valeria swallowed it. She picked up the toothpick on Menchi's table and picked her teeth with it.  
  
"Suck it up examiner. You need to taste the wild and the strong before you fight em." Valeria tossed the toothpick onto the plate. Menchi's face was really pale at first because Valeria ate the "sushi" with ease and her teeth intact. She then turned red with anger and embarrassment, yelling out loud. "Okay! I'm full! No one passes!"  
  
Valeria sighed and muttered as she walked away from Menchi: "People these days don't know what to appreciate." As Menchi and another dissatisfied examinee argued it out, Valeria's group of friends crowded around her.  
  
"You just made another lethal weapon." Killua and Leorio spluttered.  
  
"What do you mean? It was perfectly edible." Valeria yawned. "Well I can't just leave without my hunter's license. Otherwise I'm going to hide for a year, lying that I got my license then take the exam next year and then go home."  
  
The group stared at the irritated examiner before a blimp with the symbol of the Hunter association flew overhead and an old man jumped down.  
  
"Chairman Netero…"Menchi greeted him  
  
"Chairman?" The group repeated.  
  
"You seemed to find their spirit of challenging the unknown and the result of complete disqualification is because of their attitude?"  
  
"No…I apologize. I tend to lose control of myself when it comes to cooking. I'm a failure as an examiner. I will resign as an examiner so please disregard the result of this test." Menchi lowered her head.  
  
"How about we do this? We continue the exam however, we will choose a new test in which you first demonstrate personally before we begin. How about it?" The chairman asked.  
  
"I see, then I want boiled eggs." Menchi grinned. "Can you take us to the mountain over there?" Menchi pointed.  
  
"Of course." The chairman grinned. The 70 examinees and the examiners all boarded the blimp to reach their destination.  
  
"To make this clear...I'm not fond of eggs." Valeria spoke up as the group got off the blimp. She recognized those eggs as she looked down. She's read about them. She's been threatened to be thrown down there.  
  
Gon looked at her. "I didn't think you were a picky eater."  
  
"I'm not. But I, excuse my language, fucking hate the idea of creepy crawlies giving birth to an infinite mass of miniature versions that spread out like a black wave." Valeria peered over in disgust. She watched Menchi dive down to grab one of the eggs and carry it back up. When Menchi climbed up, Valeria asked if there was anything that was going to hatch. As soon as Menchi said no, Valeria jumped down with her friends to grab an egg. She gritted her teeth as she climbed up. "Papa is gonna pay for saying there are NESTS of spiders, waiting for someone to touch the egg."  
  
"They're spider EAGLES….not just spiders." Gon laughed. They placed their eggs in a boiled pot, waiting to taste it. As soon as it was done, Valeria bit into it then swallowed it whole. "Not bad." She managed to say with a full mouth. She was being too modest, as she was craving more. She was starving. However, all of her thoughts on food vanished the moment Killua approached her with a cat face.  
  
"So you don't like clusters of bugs?"  
  
"Fuck." Valeria decided to, instead of avoiding him, she'll blackmail him. She grabbed Killua by the collar with a desperate, insane look in her usual dead fish eyes and muttered: "If you bring a nest near me, you're going to be flattened along with it."  
  
She lets go and returns to her neutral look. She puts on her cardigan because she was almost completely dry and spat on the floor. Finally, she shuts up the white haired kid.


	7. Different Valeria

“It might be time for the remaining 43 remaining contestants to know who I am. My name is Netero and I’m responsible for the trials as well as a member of the organization committee. I wasn’t supposed to show myself until the final phase but it just happened.” He scanned the crowd, where most of the examinees were exhausted and not really listening. Gon and Killua, however, seemed to still be as lively as ever because of youth. Meanwhile, Kurapika was slightly out of breath, Leorio looked like he was going to kneel over, and Valeria were muttering chants/curses underneath her breath. Probably directed at Netero.

“I understand your anxiety but I believe it’s a good thing. So if you’ll allow me among you for the time being we should arrive tomorrow around 8 at the next trial ground. We are waiting for them to contact us. You are free to do whatever until we arrive.” The bean like character pointed at the clock. 

“Let’s explore!” Gon and Killua exchanged glances before glancing to see whether or not the others would join them on an exploration trip. Three older companions shook their head and almost immediately, the two boys darted off. Leorio and Kurapika were struggling to keep their eyes open while Valeria grumbled something that sounded like: “I want to shower and change.”

Then the group sees the Chairman waddling towards them, causing Valeria to click her tongue in annoyance, trying to hide behind Kurapika. Not taking the hit, the Chairman greeted them with a bright smile, but before he was about to say something, Valeria grumped. “What do you want, old fart?”

“Valeria? I get maybe you’re in a bad mood but you have to treat him with respect.” Kurapika sighed as he grabbed her shoulders and moved her next to him, so she was properly standing in the Chairman’s view. Valeria grumped and crossed her arms, cheekily turning away with her eyes closed. Fortunately, Netero didn’t seem to mind her behaviour much.

“Hohoho! It’s been awhile Li Feng ! Or should I say Valeria? You’ve grown so much. Back then you, Hongshi, and Tianyu were this small.” He raised his arms to his hips, reminding Valeria of the nostalgic past. The girl’s face paled in disgust as she waved her hands at him, begging him to stop. 

“Ugh, playing catch with you was so annoying.”

“I remember that you were so frustrated that you lifting trees and started chucking them at me-”

“STOP, this is so embarrassing I don’t want my friends to see me like that-” She shouted, her face red with embarrassment and turned her head slightly to see Leorio’s and Kurapika’s reactions. Much to her shock, they didn’t seem shocked at all.

“Like what?” Kurapika cocked his head. Leorio shrugged while shaking his head. “What? Did you think that was a shocking revelation? Do you see yourself as a dainty princess or something? Besides what’s with those names - Leafy? Horse? Teal?” 

“Lifeng - that’s my name in the Che’ang language or more accurately my birth name. Valeria is an international name that I selected and  _ prefer _ .” She arched an eyebrow at the old man who laughed, waving his hand dismissively. “My bad my bad hohoho. Well I just wanted to say hi. You should all get some rest and there’s a bath and diner somewhere on the ship too. Do what you like.” He walked away as Valeria sighed. She was a little bit more irritated now that he brought up names he didn’t want to hear. Not to mention he purposely called out her name in her wretched mother tongue. She shook her head and glanced at the clock before yawning. “Can we not stand in the middle of the hallway?”

Kurapika followed her gaze and sighed. It has been an extremely long day for them and their highly productive day made him curious: “How many more trials will we have?”

“It changes from year to year but usually there are five to six tests in total.” As if on cue, Tonpa appeared from around the corner. He did pause, because Valeria immediately focused her eyes menacingly at him. She couldn’t forgive him for trying to feed her laxatives and she felt a smirk crawl onto her face. 

“I didn’t finish the job last time because you were fortunate that I got distracted. Did you come back for me to send you to your graveyard? Sure, I’ll make sure that you get a sky burial by pulverizing you then tossing you vultures.” 

  
  


“N-no, I just wanted to help you guys as a veteran! Right, guys?” He turned his head, hoping that Kurapika and Leorio would help out. Maybe it was on purpose, both were disinterested in saving Tonpa and contemplated on his words instead.

“So there are still 3 - 4 more tests left. Man, thinking about it makes me tired already.” Leorio grunted, scratching the back of his head. Kurapika nodded in agreement and suggested that they take this opportunity to rest. Tonpa noticed that Valeria yawned to Kurapika’s suggestion, agreeing with the blond boy, and took his chance to scramble away from the female gorilla. “I-I advise you to stay vigilant. There might be a possibility that something will happen before 8 tomorrow.” 

Valeria watched him run away like a roach before blanking out, trying to remember what she wanted to do before resting. She then remembered. “I’m going to shower and change. Meet up at the dining hall later?” 

“Sure.” The boys nodded.They went their separate ways and Valeria wandered into the women’s bathroom. She whistled at how large the bath was. There were hot tubs and even a sauna. There was no one there and Valeria sighed in relief as she began to take off her clothes and tossed everything onto the ledge of a bath. She sank into the water and untied her hair, letting it float on the surface of the water. 

She looked down and was glad that no one was here to stare at her tattoos. The side of her left upper thigh had a Che’ang tattoo of a dragon, which represented the current power within the Lavine clan. On her back was a long tiger that traced the spine, representing her family’s side of the clan. Staring at the tattoo that she could see because even if she did have superhuman strength, it wasn’t like she could twist her head and look at her back, she snapped back to reality. She didn’t have time to dawdle around, thinking about the meaning of life. There were freshly cleaned towels folded neatly on wooden shelves and Valeria decided to dry herself with those. She then walked over to her bag, pulling out all of her clothes and changed. 

While Leorio and Kurapika found the location of the dining room and were waiting outside. Leorio’s stomach growled loudly and he groaned. “Ugh, when is the gorilla going to come?!”

“Maybe she got lost or something. I wouldn’t be surprised.” Kurapika chuckled.

“Why are you laughing? You know, sometimes I think you turn a blind eye towards the things she does.”

“Then, are you saying I should be like you and force my way to be her obstacle and get myself sent to the gates of the Netherworld? I’m not that desperate to die. Besides, even though she’s slightly stronger than the rest of us I think she’s pretty fun to be around with. She’s a good and respectable person too. I think someone who’s more emotional and honest with her thoughts is cuter than deceptive people or psychopathic murderers with no problem killing a whole clan and scraping out their eyes.” Kurapika clenched his hands and Leorio stared at him with utter disbelief. How could anyone possibly compliment that girl that much? He ignored Kurapika’s very specific comparison and worried about his eyes.  _ Cute? That gorilla? Are we even talking about the same person? Well I admit she’s not a bad person and to be honest I’d rather be her friend than her enemy but everything else doesn't match. Alright! One of my first goals when I become a doctor is to fix Kurapika’s eyesight.  _

“Whatcha guys thinking about? Attempted murder against Tonpa?” Valeria waved her hands in front of their serious faces. Were they concerned about Tonpa putting laxatives in their food? “Don’t worry, if that burnt unwanted bread puts laxatives in our food, we’ll just feed him to those lanky apes back at the first exam site. None of us are that weak against laxatives right? Oh, maybe Leorio.” 

_ What’s so cute about this gorilla- _ Leorio felt his fury bubble over only to be greeted by the same person in a completely different style of clothes from before. She wore a silky white cheongsam, which faded to a lighter shade of teal than her bright teal eyes. On the bottom of it were patterns of pale pink lotus flowers. There was a large slit on either side of the article of clothing, enabling room for her to fight.  _ Who the fuck is this? No one changes their style of clothes 180 and no one in an anime would change their clothes because it’s so hard to animate. _

“What have you done to Valeria?!” Leorio pointed accusingly. 

“Did you eat something weird or did Tonpa already get to you?” She looked unamused with his weird prank or whatever he was doing and slapped his arm away. 

“No, you just look different. In a good way.” Kurapika smiled. 

“What? So you were just shy?” Valeria teased and Leorio looked like he was going to vomit and the other two just laughed as they entered the dining room.They had already filled their plates with the freshly cooked food as Leorio recovered from the extreme disgust of seeing how full Valeria was of herself. The three eventually sat down and began eating. 

“You guys don’t believe in Tonpa, right?” Valeria asked as she forked her steak a little bit too aggressively. She was used to chopsticks at home and the fact she was holding a stabbing weapon made her more instinctively aggressive.

“Of course not, I’m just going to sleep, no matter what!” Leorio snorted as he stuffed his face with the high quality meat. All three of them had pretty different eating habits, which of course, Kurapika was the most elegant one. He carefully used his knife to cut a small piece of steak while his other hand used the fork to hold down the meat. “Besides didn’t you tell us he set up laxatives in drinks? Why would we trust someone who tried to bring everyone down at one point only to give us advice. He should have had some consistency.”

“I guess.” Valeria burped as she placed her fork down on the empty plate. Leorio stared at her new outfit momentarily before asking: “I’ve never seen an authentic cheongsam before how much do you suppose it will sell here?”

“Ugh...money really is the only thing on your mind.” Valeria looked at him with an empty smile. She then paused before leaning forward with a low voice. “With authentic silkworks from Che’ang, you think we can sell it for two times the price? Here, feel the fabric.” She raised her elbows and Leorio pinched the short sleeves before gasping. “Make it four.”

“Valeria, you’re being hypocritical.” Kurapika sighed and Valeria opened her mouth to object, but sat down instead. 

“I don’t get why it’s such a big deal with this outfit. I used to wear this everyday, only when I went to the Hunter exam did I wear those clothes to blend in more. If you want, I’ll get some for you guys.” 

“I guess there was just a lot of unknown information presented to us today like your name and how the ‘you’ we met is actually a little bit different from who you were.” Kurapika glanced at Leorio who nodded. He then widened his eyes, remembering that she was sensitive about her background being brought up. Surprisingly, Valeria didn’t seem bothered at all, rather she seemed serious to answer their questions. “I would say the opposite, meeting you guys I have been the most honest about things I’ve ever been. Besides it’s a good thing I changed my name to Valeria because otherwise a middle aged looking teenager would keep forgetting and think I’m named after leaves.” 

“Why you-” He was cut off once again when the other two cleaned up their plates and wandered off. The group found the resting quarters and wandered in. Several contestants were already in deep slumber, not waking up to the sound of the door opening. Valeria looked around and picked up a brown blanket that was folded neatly in one of the cupboards. Turning to her companions she motioned them to come over. 

“Let’s sleep.” Valeria sat down and patted the ground beside her. The boys looked slightly flustered before Kurapika crouched down and smiled. “I don’t think it’s-”

“I’m a gorilla and I’m a hunter. We’re friends right?” Valeria pulled Kurapika down, making him sit right next to her. She tossed the blanket over him and motioned Leorio to sit down too. Leorio scoffed but obediently wandered over to the other side of Valeria when she gave him the death glare. The three, soon enough, fell asleep and shared a blanket. If they weren’t hunters, one would think they are a cute group of friends who have been tired out from a day’s trip. It wasn’t exactly an inaccurate description though. 

As the group fell into a deep slumber, morning came really fast and they were woken up by a large announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen! We have reached your next exam site!” Kurapika and Leorio jumped up, in response, whereas Valeria was still sleeping. She almost fell over when the two jumped but Kurapika quickly supported her head and weight so she wouldn’t fall to the ground headfirst. He then gently shook her, trying to wake her up without startling her. Valeria’s eyes sleepily opened and she grumbled something half-asleep, before shutting her eyes closed. Leorio sighed and nudged her legs, shouting: “Wake up Gorilla!”

Valeria’s bloodshot eyes flung open and she instinctively slapped the air on her right but she ended up leaving the silhouette of her hand on the wall. “I’M UP YOU MOTHERFUCKING CLOCK!” 

Blinking in confusion because there was no clock on the right, she looked around to see a pale and frightened Leorio and a surprised Kurapika. “You’re not at home, Valeria.” Kurapika offered his hand to help pull the girl up.

“Morning Kurapika...Leorio…are we there already?” She yawned and rubbed her eyes. The three walked through the hallways and left the blimp. By then, Valeria was fully awake as she stepped onto a circular platform with nothing. She then noticed the platform ended off at a certain distance and ran over. She whistled in amazement. “Hey guys, we’re on a ridiculously tall tower.”

She walked back to report to them but Leorio seemed to be chanting some kind of mantra underneath his breath. She jabbed her thumbed in his direction and asked Kurapia: “What’s up with him? He looked like he saw a ghost.”

Kurapika watched Leorio mumble repetitively: “That could have been me, that could have been me...”

“Oh that. Haha when you woke up, you immediately slapped something on your right, which I assume would normally be your alarm clock. Leorio was sleeping there last night so he’s been saying that he could have died, had he not leapt up.” 

“Ah.” Valeria looked away, immediately disinterested in the topic. Leorio reverted to his normal self and stormed up to her, shouting: “What do you mean ‘ah’? I’ve been traumatized.”

Valeria looked away from his angry glare as she picked her ear, not really listening to him rant. She yawned and replied: “Yes yes, Luigi…I’m sorry but everyone has a time where they press that ‘snooze button on their clock.”

“Snooze button? You were going to send it to sleep permanently! Not snooze!”

“Calm down, Leorio, you weren't so you’re alright!” Valeria attempted a very light pat on his back. She miraculously didn’t send him flying, which still didn’t reassure him as he still looked at her warily. 

“Valeria, Kurapika, Leorio! Good morning!” Gon waved to them with Killua yawning right behind him. 

“Did you guys get some sleep yesterday, we noticed you went off in really high spirits.” Kurapika smiled in greeting. 

“Mmm a little bit! We were playing ‘steal the ball’ from the Chairman.” 

“That damn geezer played us like we were dogs.” Killua scowled. The five of them then immediately stopped talking when a bean like character spoke up. 

“You are here at the ‘Shrewdness Tower’. This is where the third trial round shall take place! Concerning the trial itself, here are the jury’s orders: “Within a 72 hour time period...you’ll need to get to the bottom of this tower alive.” The bean then boarded the blimp and the blimp began to fly away, offering a “Good luck” before he left.

“Haha you losers can wait here all you want. A mountain climber with an iron grip like me, will find descending this tower as an easy game.” He smirked, leaping down the side of the tower as he began climbing down. The five of them watched as a flock of birds swooped down to the side of the tower and started eating him alive.

“He definitely won at beating us to the Netherworld. ” Valeria commented.

“I don’t think going down the wall is a good idea.” Leorio gulped. Kurapika looked back at the surface with narrowed eyes. “There must be a trapdoor that would lead us inside. Let’s split up.”

Valeria walked to the center of the platform while the others stared at her curiously. She cracked her knuckles and rolled her head, cracks were heard from her neck. She then began stretching and the boys were starting to have a bad feeling. 

“What are you doing?”

“Well I think it’s faster if I just punch every tile here then find a way through.” Valeria raised her fist and immediately, Kurapika and Leorio ran towards her, telling her to stop.

“We can’t have everyone know the trapdoors or locations!” Leorio hissed.

Valeria sighed in disappointment and reluctantly put away her built up strength. After wandering for a while, the three heard their names being called out. “Leorio! Valeria! Kurapika!” Gon waved at them. 

“There are five trapdoors here. Gon and I have already decided to pass through one of these 5 doors. There’s five of us so if there’s a trap, not regrets.” Killua stuffed his hand in his pockets 

“What about you guys? What are you gonna do?” Gon asked.

“Passing through.” Valeria spoke up first. The other two grinned and nodded. 

“On the count of three, we all go at the same time. 3...2..” They all smiled at each other. Valeria was about to go on her tile but TONPA was kneeling beside it, knocking on it. He nodded and smiled, pretending he just discovered his trapdoor. 

“...1.”He smirked at Valeria when all of them had disappeared, then he jumped down himself. Valeria tapped the trapdoor with an irritated look crossing her dead face.

The four boys and Tonpa gathered in the same room although they were a little surprised at how they all were in the same room. However, now they were concerned how a petite, dead fish eyed brunette girl turned to a larger, big nosed rookie destroyer.

“Hey, why is Tonpa here instead of Valeria?” Killua’s eyes widened.

“Yo!” Tonpa waved and grinned. 

“He snuck up on us at the last second and stole Valeria’s tile.” Gon slightly sweatdropped.

Tonpa smiled good naturedly, pretending not to hear. “Haha just my luck! I was tapping along when I heard a trapdoor. I’m sorry your friend seemed to notice it too but the faster one is the-?!?!” A hand blasted from the door above him as it grabbed Tonpa’s head. It forced Tonpa to look up into the bloodshot eyes of Valeria as he was now being lifted into the air. 

“You think you got the better of me?” Valeria smiled her psychopathic smile. 

“L-let go!” Tonpa squeaked. Valeria lets go and leapt down, landing on top of his back. She stepped off and shook her head a little, attempting to get the dust off of her hair when she had broken through the trapdoor.

All four boys stared at her before they began laughing. By now...they really should have gotten used to the girl’s odd and scary antics. So now, they just decided to laugh. Confused, Valeria was about to say something when a wall behind them, flipped around and robotic arms stretched out, grabbing Valeria and tying her to the wall. Then the wall flipped once more and Valeria was gone, just as fast as she came. 

“VALERIA?!” They shouted.

“I’m okay.” Was the calm response they received. The boys sighed in relief and resumed laughing.

“I bet right now she’s picking her nose and beating the crap out of whatever’s on the other side.” Killua mused and the others nodded in agreement, deciding that she will probably be alright. The Zoldyck boy was pretty accurate. Valeri easily pulled herself out of the literal “iron grip” of the iron robotic hands and was picking her nose. She broke off the arms and waved it in the air, slightly interested about it. But when they limped the moment she pulled it off, she tossed it onto the black screen in front of her and it flickered to life. 

“Well well, I hadn’t expected to bring a contestant to one of the 5 Special Passages this early.” A man with thin eyes and large circular glasses appeared. 

“What? Five special sausages?’ Valeria wasn’t really listening and her mouth drooled a little at the distorted words she heard.

“PASSAGE! FIVE SPECIAL PASSAGES!” The man shouted.

“No need to scream buddy.” Valeria looked at him with dead eyes as she covered her ears.

“Humph. The special passages are for certain people who found another way to enter the building and may interfere with other contestants’ trials. Unfortunately, your friends are in the Majority Trial and cannot have an even number of people. But don’t worry, your Trial is similar to everyone else’s. It’s only special because you’ve entered a special way. So what do you think of my special iron robotic arms?”

“Huh these?” Valeria picked up the wimpy looking arms that she ripped off. “They’re lame. There’s nothing special here other than these?” Valeria scoffed as she tossed them away.

The man on the screen shrieked and began to tear up. Those iron robotic arms were supposed to hold down even the buffest man. Perhaps he just hasn't taken in account that a Lavine would be stopping by.

“Anyways...your’re trial is the physical endurance and strength test.” He sniffed. “You just need to walk forward and pass through all of the obstacles within the next seventy one hours!” A gate opened and Valeria peered inside. She grabbed the two robotic arms and tossed one inside. 

“What do you think you’re doing…” The man asked. Valeria looked back with a bored look. “Testing for traps.

She walked in, leaving an irritated jury shrieking and ranting. Valeria stepped on a cobblestone and daggers shout of god knows where. She immediately pulled out the iron rod hanging from her hips and extended it. She began swinging it around, deflecting the knives with an unamused look. When she finished, the radius around her was clear but everywhere else were random knives lodged and chipped on the ground. She sighed. This is going to be one cliched trial.

Valeria examined the martial arts weapon, unique to her culture and ruffled her hair. “Looks like I need to use you for this round, buddy.”

Valeria began whistling and twirling the iron staff and swung it at an incoming boulder that was rolling towards her. It shattered to pieces only to reveal laser beams behind it. She stopped whistling and shrunk the iron staff and hung it by her hips. 

“I’m not training to be a world class thief for god’s sake.” The brunette muttered as she ducked the first laser beam and twisted over another. She placed her palms first onto the ground and then did a handstand. She spread her legs into a split and under up doing a flip over the next one. Wincing at the aching in her back, she slowly made her way out of the lasers and was now kneeling over on the ground. 

“Thank God Mama was strict on flexibility. Otherwise, I’d been diced.” Valeria huffed. The Lavine clan had high standards of women being gracefully flexible and Valeria was one of the least flexible females in her clan. Cursing as she went through the path, she reached a room where there was a vest with the label 20kg on it. She looked around and there were gloves, helmets, and chains meant to be wrapped around the ankles. They were all labelled 20kg. Valeria smirked inwardly. The exam was meant to be challenging but not impossible for everyone. The jury probably thought she would have slight difficulties wearing 20kg items but Valeria finds it as light as her own clothes. She easily tossed them on and read the instructions on the screen in front: “Use the monkey bars across the lake of alligators while wearing your weighted clothes.”

Valeria entered the passage and noticed how far off the lake was. She hummed to herself and thought: “Well now they’re getting serious. It would be difficult to climb back up if one was to fall down. Not to mention that these items will prove a difficult time of even getting out of the water.”

Valeria grabbed one of the handles and began to swing across. She ignored the supposingly intimidating alligators that were snapping their large mouths who all hoped to feed on the petite girl. Slightly annoyed by their repetitive snapping of their mouths, when she reached the other side and the instructions said she may take the weights off. She flung the items into the lake and heard a whimpering from one of the alligators. Valeria proceeded through the eerie tunnel until she approached a wide and vast area. There was a platform in the middle and there were five cloaked figures with chains wrapped tightly around their wrists. They were all larger than her except for one that seemed to be thinner and smaller. The screen on her right lit up and the instructions filled the screen: “To pass this obstacle, you must earn three wins by defeating the prisoners. The rules of combat can be decided and the contestant will choose the rules.”

The screen went black and Valeria shrugged at the criminals. “Well there you have it.”

“I propose a fight to death.” The biggest man of the group demanded. 

“Oi, oi, calm your balls. If she dies immediately we won’t have our fun.” Another prisoner snickered. He had a high, nasally voice that sounded like he was having a hard time breathing.

“Why not just fight if one of us surrenders or the other one is knocked out.” Valeria pointed out. All of the prisoners huddled up and whispered, before turning around and agreeing.

Valeria sighed in exasperation. This is going to be one long-ass trial.


	8. Is It Magic?

“So...who’s first?” Valeria asked as she spat on the ground, walking towards the center platform. Rubbing her wrists slightly before stretching out her legs and back, she thought to herself that she wanted this to end as soon as possible and to sleep. She didn’t bother hiding her thoughts, as it was blatant on her face that she was disinterested, which irritated the prisoners. The largest of the group, who had proposed the death match, ripped off his cloak and jabbed a finger at his own chest. “I am!”

He had voluminous hair with a single grey strand running along the left side, and a rugged beard. He had scars all over his body but the noticeable ones were the several nasty gashes on his eyes that left him blind. Valeria sighed, waved her hands.

“Surrender man, I’m sure we both don’t want to waste energy on this fight. Can’t you see I’m in a rush- oh. I am so sorry.” She bowed politely before standing straight. The man twitched in annoyance but smiled as he lifted his arm, roughly estimating Valeria’s height. 

“Hey hey, I’m not that great enough to not enjoy pulverizing weak shrimps. In fact, I take joy in it. Hmmm, my first kill was probably actually around the same height as you. Yes, he was indee-” He reached out his hand to firstly, intimidate Valeria, and secondly to pat her head while insinuating that he can see without his eyes. However, Valeria grabbed his wrist and dragged him down, causing the larger man to end up having to look up at her instead. Not that he can actually see her.

“I assume the match is starting or that you were disrespectfully trying to grab a lady’s head. Either way, you don’t deserve to look down at me like that. Also let’s clear some misunderstanding. I’m not scared nor am I underestimating you.” Valeria loosened her grip in her thumb and pressed the wrist of the prisoner, pushing his hand backwards until it broke. The large man grunted in pain before trying to swing his other arm at her. She stayed still, allowing him to punch her gut, sending her flying backwards. However, she easily picked herself up and dusted the dirt off of her clothes.“Now we’re even. Do you still want to continue?”

“Don’t screw with me shrimp. I...I’m just getting started.” Heran up to her, trying to kick her jaw. Valeria leaned back and grabbed hold of his beard as he flew above her, not hesitating to yank it. She immediately whipped it back so that his body came back from where he flew from, but his beard was ripped off his chin cleanly. The girl tossed the strands of dead hair follicles aside and dusted her hands as she tucked a loose curl behind her ear. Unamused, she watched the large man grip his chin while biting his lip in pain really hard. His chin was read and swollen, with specks of blood starting to appear before running along his whole chin. 

“I repeat, surrender buddy. Otherwise your chin won’t be the only thing that becomes as swollen and red as a red bottom monkey. Red bottom? Or was it red assed? Or was it bloody bummed?” The man glowered at her as she muttered to herself, trying to remember the creature’s species, and charged at her as he screamed.. He directed a fast and powerful punch at her face but Valeria blocked and grabbed it instead. As his right hand was trapped, Valeria then delivered a back kick in his jaw, sending him flying back to the wall next to where he came from. Of course, his body was etched deeply into the wall that his consciousness had left him. The screen flickered to life and had the scores: “0-1”

“I told you to surrender.” Valeria rubbed her wrist once more as she rotated her left ankle, the side where she delivered her kick. The group of prisoners stared at their largest member in horror before a thin and tiny old man approached Valeria. The girl looked down at the man who seemed confident in himself as he bowed. Surprised by this familiar gesture Valeria did the same before the two began their stance. They circled each other like calculating tigers before the small old man began to run around her at an incredible speed. 

“Ho ho, it seems like your fighting style is rather similar to mine. But…” The speed began to increase as the other three prisoners snickered. One of them spoke up, presumably a woman: “You’re done for, little girlie. That old geezer may be tiny, but he studied underneath a Lavine before. Perhaps you’ve heard of that mysterious clan, famous for their strength and mysteries?”

“Now that’s interesting.” Valeria shielded herself as the little old man delivered a hard kick towards her face and sent Valeria skidding backwards. The girl stopped herself at the edge of the platform as she anchored her toes into the ground. An angered smile with a mad glint in her eyes lit up her face as she commented: “Now which loser became crazy enough to teach a geezer? I don’t need anymore Lavines and I certainly don’t want half baked Lavine wannabes.” Valeria leapt up and threw a punch at him. The old man managed to dodge the punch in the nick of time and stood on the opposite side of the platform from Valeria. He inhaled sharply as the surface on Valeria’s side shattered. Her strength from the previous round could not compare. 

  
  


Luckily for him, the punch seemed to shock Valeria into realization as she looked down at her fist with her dead expression. She felt disgusted that she allowed her instincts to take over. How lame, right after she made fun of her clan and blood, the very same blood took over her. The girl dusted her hands off as she waved her hand at the old man with a tilt of her head. “Do you still want to continue this?”

The old man began sweating and as a bead of sweat trickled down his chin, he lowered his head and muttered: “I surrender.” The score became 0-2. The other prisoners immediately became disgusted with his reluctance and easy surrender as they muttered their discontent to him. 

“Why’d you surrender just like that?”

“In the end, you’re a pathetic old geezer.”

“You don’t understand! She knocked out Lewis with one kick and she shattered half of the platform with a punch. She’s a Lavine.” The old man was sweating and gritting his teeth. Of course he didn’t like surrendering and losing the chance to shorten their sentences. But that was better than getting pounded alive by a female gorilla...or a tiger.

“Humph! It’s because y’all using brute strength and looking down at her.” A woman with short, red hair, twisted a strand of curl around her finger with a scoff. She pulled out a rose from underneath her collar and snapped her fingers. Immediately, two more flowers appeared. “Hey sweetie...do you believe in magic?”

“A commercial break?” Valeria watched as the woman descended the stairs to the platform. The redhead smirked as she sniffed the flowers and sighed in a satisfied manner. Her left hand reached out to the side and twisted around before rose petals flew around and gathered. They began to construct themselves into a hat and the woman placed it on her head with flourish. She snapped her fingers and rose petals began to flutter around. “It’s showtime.”

Valeria crouched down as she looked at all sides warily. Suddenly a kick was delivered to her stomach out of the tornado of flower petals. Valeria was sent flying backwards but she stopped her movement by clawing at the floor, leaving a long trail of what looks like claw marks. She was currently surrounded by a thick curtain of fluttering petals and was unable to hear, smell or see her opponent.

“Is this seriously magic?” Valeria looked around. Unknowingly to her, it wasn’t magic but rather Nen. Valeria spun around in 90 degrees every so often to make sure she doesn’t get attacked again. However there was no such luck and for the next while, the girl was beaten around blindly. After several attacks Valeria managed to grab ahold of the woman’s leg and slammed her down, with full force. The redhead immediately coughed up blood as she struggled to stare at Valeria who didn’t seem to suffer from much injuries other than small cuts and bruises caused by the rose's thorns. 

“G-give.” The woman surrendered as Valeria raised her fist, ready to ruin the woman’s face. Valeria lets go as she picked her nose as the screen lit up with the exact words she wanted to see: 3-0, you may pass into the next obstacle of this trial.”

Valeria looked down at the redhead who was shivering with a broken arm and then Valeria looked down on her fists, clenching them and then unclenching them. Valeria lifted her head and she walked up the stairs, past the other prisoners. 

“I told you I didn’t want to do this, but you made me do it.”

The five prisoners watched the girl exit with terrified eyes. She was a petite girl but they saw the distortion of her tiger form into the beastly form of a tiger. Valeria descended the stairs and reached a large wooden door that seemed to have veins of moss attached to it. Arching her eyebrow at why there was suddenly moss in this area, she cautiously pushed the door open only to have her eyes brightened in silent joy. It was a goddamn jungle. Literally. There were plants everywhere, some being the most deadly ones. And currently, the largest and most dangerous plants were staring right at her: Venus Mantrap. 

Valeria cracked her knuckles as the Venus Mantraps all started to attack her but Valeria propped their mouths open with her arm as she examined them with extreme interest. This was her paradise. She still has several hours so why not enjoy this jungle to her fullest?

* * *

  
  
  


As Gon and the others barely made it across, Kurapika looked around and the others began to follow suit, all looking for a certain gorilla. To their fear, the group didn’t see any trace of her at all. 

“You don’t think Valeria…” Leorio began, but trailed off. Killua clicked his tongue in annoyance and anger as he pointed accusingly at Tonpa.    
  


“If she didn’t let that thing steal her spot, she would’ve made it.”

“Guys, let us not talk as if she’s failed already. It’s Valeria.” Kurapika attempted to calm them down. Gon nodded in addition, believing that she would make it. 

“Let’s believe in her.”

“30 second.” The intercom buzzed and began to countdown. As it reached 15 seconds, a door was knocked down, drawing everyone’s attention. A string of curse words was heard from the opening before she walked out with a dazed look. She was carrying a large wooden plank under her arm, which she was using to knock down a series of doors. Turns out the last trial was more of a mental obstacle that effectively drove her insane. She dropped the door, noticing that it was the final destination. “Oh fuck, I made it. If I knew that there were twenty and more doors, I lost count after, I wouldn’t have pretended to be Tarzan.”

Not letting her catch a breath, the three boys ran up to her and gave her a hug while Killua nonchalantly walked over. 

“Valeria! What were you doing?” Leorio shook her shoulders.

“We thought you were dead.” Killua spoke, purposely faking his tone so that he sounded as if he was disappointed that she didn’t die.

“It took you awhile, were there a lot of issues that even you couldn’t handle? Must’ve been hard multiplying with double digits...” Kurapika patted her back, offering his condolences. Valeria stared at him, unsure if he just threw a backhanded comment at her or not.

“No….No, no! Why would I be dead? I was busy collecting plants.” Valeria opened her bag to reveal numerous bottles containing different specimens of plants. The group then noticed that there were branches and leaves in her hair and she didn’t smell like her usual jasmine like fragrance but she smelled like earth instead. 

“I’ve read about them, but I’ve never actually seen them in real life and the Venus Mantraps were absolutely adorable. They’re around five meters tall and rather boisterous but they’re definitely a brilliant species. I gotta bring back some sort of souvenir from this damn place. What else is the point of travelling if you don’t get a souvenir?” 

“Venus…” Gon began.

“Mantraps?” Killua finished.

“What are those?” Leorio questioned with puzzled looks. Valeria plucked the twigs and leaves out of her hair as Kurapika helped her pluck the areas she could not see and reach. The girl eventually gave up and allowed Kurapika to pluck the rest out as she answered them. “Yup. They’re a species of plants with a rather flat head and razor, sharp teeth. The head is like the shape of a half-moon.” Valeria was drawing in the air with finger as she waved it around, attempting to visually describe it to Leorio, Gon and Killua. 

“The intercom buzzed once more, marking the end of the exam: “Third round, number of participants that reached the goal: 27**, including one dead.”

“Yikes. Unlucky for the dead soul.” Muttered Valeria to the rest of her group. One of the gates lifted itself up and fresh air filled the damp and suffocating room they were in. It was proof that this wasn’t going to be the sixty ninth door that Valeria was going to have to break through. Yes, counting over twenty becomes a hard task for her. 

“Congratulations to those who passed. You now have only two trials left: the fourth and the last. The fourth will be located on Zebiru’s island. Now, let’s hurry!” A thin man, most likely one of the examiners, clapped his hands and a large man immediately rolled out a trolley with a box on it.

“Are we doing another magic show? ” Valeria ruffled her hair and as if the word “magic” was some sort of keyword, Hisoka pulled out a deck of cards from midair and began to shuffle them until they disappeared once more. He then looked at her, trying to gain some sort of approval from her. Valeria scrunched her face as if telling him that his attempts to lure a kid in with a magic trick isn’t going to work on her. As if testing her, he licked his lips and redirected his attention towards their examiner. Valeria shuddered from disgust and like a cat who keeps grooming itself because they feel gross, Valeria kept combing through her twintails.

“No, we’re doing a lottery to determine the hunters and the prey. In this box there are 26 cards and you will all draw one.” The thin examiner pushed up his glasses and Valeria tapped her chin, thinking. She looked down at her number and her badge glistened in the light. Number 406. 

“Well come and pick up your card in the order of reaching the bottom of the tower.” The examiner gave a pointed stare at Valeria, who scoffed and picked her nose. She flung her booger at the man and it stuck to his glasses. The examiner casually picked it off with a tissue paper as to prevent a fuss and coughed. As everyone finally finished picking their cards, Valeria went up. She stuffed her hands into the box and picked up the card: No.119. Valeria began whistling as she quickly scanned the crowd with a bored look. The girl then went back to her group and fiddled with the card in her hard.

“Now, your personal number and the card you took out are recorded inside this machine…” The examiner cleared his throat. “You are free to do whatever you want with your card. The number you picked up from the box is your target. If you’ve succeeded in taking your target’s number, you will gain three paints. Your own card is worth three points. By the end of this trial, you need to accumulate 6 points in total. Any other card will only be worth one point.” 

The group was extremely silent as they began to take their time to process the information. Valeria was the first to break it. She took the tag off of her chest and stuck it in her pocket and muttered: “Well, it looks like it’s going to be a killfest.” 

The four other boys blinked and they followed suit by stuffing their badges inside their pockets or bags. The rest of the participants did so too. 

“Don’t say it so casually, who knows, maybe everyone will live!” Gon smiled nervously but stayed optimistic.

“Yeah. We have Mr.Pedo-Homicidal,” Valeria pointed at Hisoka who waved at them. Gon immediately shivered and inched backwards

“Mr.Needle-masochist,” Gittaruckur seemed to be triggered by the nickname as he started to have a spasm. 

“And Mr.Top-Of-My-Kill-List I mean whoops, did I let that slip? Did he hear me saying that he’s on the top of my to kill list?” Valeria repeated herself purposely as she glared intensely at Tonpa, effectively allowing him to hear what she said and to turn away.

“Pfft...no offence Valeria, but Tonpa seems too useless to kill anyone. I don’t think you’re scared of the right person. Hisoka and Gitta-whatever, I understand but not Tonpa.” Killua stuffed his hands in his pockets as he held back his laughter.

“I never said he was going to kill someone. If you’re wondering about the  _ hidden  _ meaning, I meant I’m going to wring that little weasel’s neck with my own hands.” Valeria said it loudly and Tonpa seemed to walk all the way to the opposite side, avoiding Valeria’s group. 

“Oops, I said it loudly by accident. I guess a certain pig got too scared and ran away.” Valeria shrugged as Tonpa who glared back. 

“What did you say?!”

“Nothing.” Something flew by Tonpa and he turned back only to see a hole blasted in a large stone behind him. Shakingly, he looked back at the female gorilla, only to see her tossing a stone up and down in her hand with a frightening grin. “By the way, I’m missing one of my rocks. I guess one of them slipped by accident, could you kindly help me find it? Should be the one, oh I don’t know, that blew through six trees?” 

Kurapika sighed at Valeria’s childish antics while Killua was picking up rocks from the ground and donating it to her. 

“Hey Valeria, look at these sick rocks. These could be souvenirs.”

“Oh, Killua. You don’t understand anything about rocks. Look, this one is not sharp enough even though there’s clearly a corner meant for stabbing. This is no good.” She tossed the rock, creating a crater in the hole, in front of Tonpa. Tonpa nervously looked at the ground, then at Valeria and Killua who were smiling devilishly. Gon laughed nervously while Leorio cheered her on. 

“Satan’s spawns...” Tonpa muttered, mainly directed at Valeria and Killua. 


End file.
